


A single kiss

by chasing_the_wild_dream



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Forbidden Love, Slow Burn, age gap, alternative universe, body issues due to pregnancy, character death (no major character)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-03 08:54:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 33,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15815604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chasing_the_wild_dream/pseuds/chasing_the_wild_dream
Summary: Emma is only a teenager when she falls madly and irrevocably in love with Regina Mills.She is convinced that Regina is "The One" for her, but it's a love that cannot be.At least not at the time.When Emma returns home years later will they finally find love and a happy ending?





	1. Prolog

**Author's Note:**

  * For [To B](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=To+B).
  * Inspired by [[Art] A single kiss](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15752130) by [Sarconistia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarconistia/pseuds/Sarconistia). 



> Special thanks go to my assigned artist **Sarconistia**  
>  She didn't have all that much to work with because I signed up for Supernova before my life became a clusterfuck once again and I didn't have as much time to write as I thought I would have. Not even close.  
> And so I only had a draft instead of a story by the time the first deadline came around and it was all really sketchy still. Needless to say I wasn't happy and to the very end I wasn't sure how I would pull off finishing this story. All I knew was that I would no matter what it would take because this story is very, very dear to me.  
> And despite me being absent most of the time Sarconistia created this awesome fan art for my story and I feel so incredibly blessed and so very grateful.  
>  **Thank you so much!!!!**
> 
> Thanks to everyone working behind the scenes of SQSN for making it all happen to begin with! You did an amazing job and kept everything running smoothly and I appreciate that a lot.
> 
> Also, a big thanks to all my friends who supported and encouraged me from the beginning to the very end. Who believed in me when I couldn't. Thank you all for being the amazing people that you are!
> 
> And thanks to little Aodhan, who was one of my distractions from writing. The little husky pup who lost his mom and whom I handraised (amongst other things) when I was supposed to write.  
> He showed me what it means to be a real fighter. A warrior even.  
> Because he had nothing going for him and he became this amazing young dog still and I feel very blessed to have him in my life. And that I have been given the privilege to raise him and see him grow from day 1, though I would have wished for different circumstances. Either way: he is extraordinary and I love him with all my heart.  
> That also goes for my other dogs without whom none of this would have been possible. I'm forever grateful to them as well.
> 
> And last, but not least: thanks to **B** , who inspired me to write this story.
> 
> Everything I am today I owe to you.  
> You saved me when I thought there was no saving for me.  
> You loved me when I thought there was nothing left to love.  
> Once upon a time we were supposed to have a lifetime together.  
> Now we only have this. A bit of borrowed time.  
> But we'll make every single second of it count.  
> And I'll love you forever.

Emma Swan looked at the fishing boat in front of her and a smile appeared on her face.  
The boat had seen better days like its owner, but it was still as reliable as it had always been, she could tell.  
Traffic had been a nightmare which had caused her to miss the last ferry to the island and she had already been debating where she could find a place to stay for the night when she had bumped into Moe, who happened to be a friend of her father's, and he had insisted on taking her home. She had barely recognized him because he sure had gotten old.

Home.

When the social worker had dropped her off on the small island of Storybrooke ten years ago she hadn't expected much, but she had indeed found a home there.  
And a family.

She had been thirteen years old and just out of a really bad foster family, the worst if she was honest. She had also been pretty messed up in the head and she had thought it a joke when her social worker had told her that there was a young couple interested in adopting her.

She had expected more empty promises, another guy who was a drunk or a little too handsy, another wannabe mother who was of the opinion that a little punishment here and there wouldn't hurt anyone, but David and Mary Margaret Nolan had proven her wrong.

She had been nowhere near prepared for the love and the kindness she had received from the people who had eventually become her family.

Together with Ruby, who had been seventeen at the time, and who had been living with the Nolans for almost two years when Emma had arrived.  
Ruby, who had been raised by her grandmother after her father had made a run for it and her mother had died when she had been a toddler. And then she had lost her grandmother too.

The tall, leggy girl and she had gotten along just fine back then, but they hadn't been close because Ruby had grown up on the island and she had already had her friends and Ruby also had been and was to this day, a very outgoing person while Emma had been a complete introvert, who had rather stayed at home to read than to hang out with Ruby and her group of friends to talk about boys.

Things had changed when she had enrolled into college in Boston and they had become roommates once again about five years ago.  
They were complete opposites still, but these days they were also thick as thieves.

„Come on, kiddo. Let's go. The sun is going to set soon and I'd rather be at the diner by the time it gets dark. Eating stew“, Moe bellowed from below deck.

Emma put her woollen hat, a Christmas gift from her mother, on and wrapped her scarf around her neck tightly.

Fall had come early and she had to admit that it was colder than she had expected, but at least she had come prepared. Living on the island for five years had told her to never underestimate the cold Maine air, especially not while out on a boat.

She pulled the scarf up her face, covering her mouth and her nose before she jumped onto the boat, her duffle bag slung over her right shoulder.

Emma had barely found her footing when the boat engine roared to life and she watched Moe take his spot at the helm.  
She brought her duffle bag under deck quickly before she joined Moe, who looked at her curiously.

„Never thought I'd see you here again. Excited about seeing your folks?“

Emma nodded her head, „You have no idea.“

It was only a mumble because of the scarf covering her mouth and she wasn't sure if Moe had understood a word, but when she saw the big smile he was giving her she figured he might have.

„Hold on tight, kiddo. It's windy and you know what that means. It's going to be a bumpy ride. You might want to put on one of those life jackets too.“

She knew he was probably right, but she ignored him anyway. She hated those jackets, they felt so restricting.

Emma went up to the prow instead and grabbed the railing with both hands while Moe set the boat in motion and steered it out of the harbour with skill and lots of experience.

Storybrooke island.  
Her home.  
Her safe haven.  
It had become her everything while she had lived there.  
Until that fateful day about five years ago.  
The day she had realized that she had to leave, that she couldn't stay a moment longer.

Emma closed her eyes and tried to take a deep breath.

She was only semi-successful because of the scarf, but she still revelled in the smell of the salty sea air and the wind that had started to blow mercilessly, causing her eyes to water.

She hadn't been lying when she had written into her journal that she hadn't been prepared for a family like the Nolans, but what she had been the least prepared for in all of her life had been something else.

Someone else really.

Nothing in life had prepared her for Regina Mills.  
Or the love she had felt for this woman; felt for her to this very day.

The first time Emma had met her had been about two weeks after she had arrived on Storybrooke Island.

Settling into her new life and the new routine that had come with it had been hard for her and she had constantly felt like she would let Mary Margaret down. Hell, she had expected that they would send her back on a daily basis although David and his wife had tried so hard to make her feel welcome and included.

While David had been incredibly patient, he had to be the most patient man she had ever met, Mary Margaret and her perkiness and her constant need to try to bond with her, her pushy nature, had made it impossible for Emma to come out of her shell even an inch.

And then she had met Regina.

Regina, who had expected nothing from her and who had given her space.  
Regina, who had loved to read as much as she had.

They had spent hours reading side by side without saying a word. And then they had spent hours upon hours talking about anything and everything really.

Emma knew that Mary Margaret had been jealous about the bond she had formed with Regina when the pixie-haired woman had tried so hard while Regina hadn't done anything.

She had just been there and her presence had been enough.

They had grown closer over time and at some point, she had just turned sixteen then, it had dawned on Emma that she had fallen in love with Regina.

And she hadn't cared about Regina because of her looks either, not like all the others, no. She had fallen in love with Regina's mind. With her snark and her wit and with everything else that had made her Regina.  
It had been heaven and hell at the same time, but she had been so full of hope that one day they would be together because Daniel wouldn't be around forever.

She had been sure about it because for one Regina hadn't been happy and second of all she had been convinced that there was something between them.

  
  


The lingering looks, the touches, albeit innocent, had become more and more frequent and sometimes Regina had hugged her so tight that Emma had been barely able to breathe, but she hadn't minded one bit.

And then, one weekend in July, Mary Margaret and David had gone to New York for their wedding anniversary and Daniel had been away as well, Emma had found herself over at Regina's although she had made plans with her friends.  
But who would go to drink beer in the woods with some losers when they could spend the weekend with their crush?

It had been a ridiculously hot summer and they had spent hours in the pool without a care in the world.

Emma had been still in the water when dinnertime had come around while Regina had been tanning on one of the sun loungers, black-rimmed glasses on her nose and a book in hand.

She could remember it like it had happened yesterday.

How she had leapt out of the pool, how she had dried herself off, fully aware that Regina was watching her every movement because she had felt warm, brown eyes on her all the way.

How she had inched closer to the sun lounger, shy smile on her lips. How she had waited for Regina's permission to sit down.

How they had sat side by side and how she had confided in Regina that she was gay. And that she was scared out of her mind to tell Mary Margaret and David.  
How Regina had cupped her cheek and had told her not to worry because Mary Margaret and David were not like that.  
That Ruby had been spotted kissing boys and girls over the years and that they had always encouraged her to just be herself. How she considered herself bisexual and that, while her own mother despised her for it, nobody else had given her too much grief.

It had been such an intimate moment and Emma had heard the blood rushing in her ears, her heart had been pumping so hard and so fast that she had feared that it would make her chest burst any second and then, in a moment of bravery and complete insanity she, shy and introverted Emma Swan, had leaned in.

She had leaned in and she had kissed Regina Mills.

A spur of the moment decision, a second in time.  
And it had changed everything.  
That one kiss had changed her life.  
It had turned everything upside down.

Regina had jumped up, eyes wide in horror, before she had started to pace like a caged animal.

Emma had been torn because that single kiss had been enough for her to know that Regina was _Th_ _e One_.  
It had only been a peck really and it hadn't even lasted two seconds, but it had been enough.  
Emma had just known.

Regina, on the other hand, had been completely agitated though and had murmured on and on about what Emma had been thinking and that it could never happen again because she had Daniel and it was wrong.

  
  


„ _Then tell me that you don't have feelings for me, Regina. Tell me that it's all just one sided and that I've been imagining it. All of it. Don't you think I don't know how you look at me sometimes? With so much longing, with so much...“_

„ _Don't! Don't you dare finish that sentence, Emma.“_

_Tears were running down her face and her heart was breaking, „Tell me that it's just me.“_

_Regina was silent for a long time before she sighed heavily, „I can't. But it doesn't matter. It can never matter.“_

  
  


Emma closed her eyes, the memory too painful to this day, but the tears started to fall anyway.

She knew why Regina had shut her down that day, she always had, but that didn't mean that it hurt any less.

She had fallen in love with Mary Margaret's best friend.

A woman twice her age, a woman old enough to be her mother.  
A woman who had been married to David's best friend.  
A woman who had been a lawyer.

But it hadn't mattered to Emma then and it didn't matter to her now.

After that fateful day, everything had changed, of course.  
Regina had taken on more clients and had been too busy all of a sudden and she had only ever seen her when her parents had been present except for the few times she had caught a glimpse of the woman rushing by while she had been out with her friends.

It had hurt like nothing else Emma had ever experienced, worse than all the people who had abandoned her before, worse than all the physical pain inflicted on her over the years, worse than the last foster dad and all the things he had done to her before she had ended up with the Nolans.

Emma had felt so incredibly lost and broken and there had been a time where she had wanted to just run away and never look back. She had lashed out and had gotten into some trouble before Graham, the sheriff of Storybrooke Island, had taken her under his wing.

He had pointed out to her that she had a really good gig going with David and Mary Margaret and that she really shouldn't fuck things up for herself, no matter what had her so upset, and it had eventually dawned on her that he was right.

In the end, it had made Emma study harder because one thing had been abundantly clear to her.  
Regina would never leave her husband for a loser.

In her teenage naivety, she had thought she simply had to make something out of herself and then Regina would see that they could be happy together and everything would be fine.  
They would live happily ever after eventually.

Little had she known.

Emma had shown interest in police work and Graham had encouraged her to sign up for the academy, had even promised her to give her a job once she would finish her training and it had sounded so perfect.

She would be able to live and work on the island and her fairytale would come true.  
She had carried that hope around until her bubble had finally burst the day of her high school graduation.

Her parents had been there and so had been Ruby, who had already been off to college in Boston at the time, but she had come home for the occasion and Regina and Daniel had been there as well.  
Emma had counted on the fact that Regina wouldn't be able to talk herself out of that one, no matter how busy she had claimed to be and she had been right.

And then Daniel had made a toast and had announced since it had been such a happy occasion to begin with, that Regina was pregnant with their first child.

It had been the moment Emma's world had finally come crashing down. It had shattered into a million pieces and she had fled the loft as if the devil would have been after her.

Ironically it had been Regina who had come looking for her eventually.

She had been sitting on 'their'bench at the docks, tears streaming down her face while heavy sobs had shaken her body.

Regina had hugged her wordlessly and that one time it had been Emma, who had held on as tight as she had been able to manage because she had known that she had to let go afterwards.

  
  


„ _Regina, I...I thought...you and I...we...“_

„ _I know.“  
Regina's voice was calm and soothing._

„ _I love you.“  
It was barely a whisper and her hands were shaking._

_Regina took them into her own and squeezed them gently, „I know, Emma. But it can never be. If the circumstances would be different. In another life maybe...“_

_Emma nodded numbly, „I know.“_

_They stood at the docks for a long time, looking at each other wordlessly, before Regina croaked out, „What are you going to do now that high school is behind you?“_

_Emma hesitated for a moment because she hadn't even talked to her parents yet. Or Ruby.  
But she had to say it out loud. She had to say it to someone right then to keep herself from chickening out, „I'm leaving tomorrow. With Ruby.“_

_She watched Regina's face fall and the tears glisten in warm, brown eyes and Regina's sadness cut through her like a knife.  
Regina struggled for words, Emma could tell, but eventually, she managed to rasp out a „You'll be fine.“_

_She nodded robotically because what else could she have done? She had been hoping for a beginning, not an ending. Not a goodbye._

„ _You'll love again“, Regina insisted, but Emma only shook her head._

_The thought of not being in love with Regina was unthinkable. It physically hurt.  
She had held onto her feelings for almost two years. Two years where they had barely seen each other._

„ _Emma...“_

_She put her index finger to Regina's lips to stop her from saying another word and locked eyes with her once again._

„ _One day I'll come back for you.“_

  
  


Emma watched how her gloved hands shook and her hold on the railing lessened more and more.

Five years.  
She hadn't returned to the island once in five years.  
She hadn't talked to Regina once in five years.

Mary Margaret and David had come to Boston to visit her and Ruby for their birthdays, Thanksgiving and Christmas ever since they had left Storybrooke Island together the day after her graduation.

Her parents had been absolutely gutted by her sudden and unexpected departure, but Ruby hadn't even asked questions. She had simply told her that she would be welcome to stay with her and they had made it work.

They had both worked a part-time job at a bar not far from campus and life had been good.  
Instead of the Police Academy, she had signed up for criminology in college and while money had always been tight living with Ruby had been a blast.

She had graduated from college a year ago and then she had joined Boston PD, well on the way to making it to detective one day, when she had received a phone call from Graham.

He had promised her back in the day, no, she had made him swear on his life, that he would call her first if there ever would be a job opening at the station.

Granted, she had been sixteen and full of naive hope back then, but he had kept his word and Emma had known that it was an offer that wouldn't come back up anytime soon if he would hire someone else. Because the other two deputies were fairly young and Graham was far from retirement as well.

And so she had taken that leap of faith and here she was.

On a boat back to Storybrooke Island, on a boat back to  _her._

Ruby had told her she was crazy for going back, but then again Ruby didn't  _know.  
_ No one did.

She had kept her feelings a secret all these years because she never had any intention of getting Regina in trouble, especially because Regina had done nothing wrong.

She was divorced now.  
For about two years.

Emma had contemplated running back home as soon as Mary Margaret had mentioned it, but she hadn't wanted to look desperate or like a lunatic and she also had wanted to finish college first.

Regina's son, Henry, was almost five now and according to Mary Margaret he was the most adorable toddler she had ever seen and considering that her mother was a first-grade teacher that had to mean something.

The most prominent change was that Regina wasn't working as a lawyer anymore.  
These days she was the mayor of Storybrooke Island, elected only a couple of months before the news of her divorce had hit.

Emma had begged Graham not to tell Regina that he had hired her and he had told her there was no reason to do that anyway because he was the sheriff and staff decisions were his and his alone. He had assumed Emma simply wanted to surprise Regina because they had always been close.

If only he knew.

„Care to park the old lady for me, kiddo?“

Moe's voice made her jump, but she moved across deck to take over anyway.  
He had taken her and her father fishing countless times and he had taught her how to properly navigate a boat.

She had been so caught up in her thoughts about Regina that she hadn't even realized that they were so close to the harbour already. She really had to get a grip.

Under Moe's watchful eye and with some instructions Emma managed to manoeuvre the boat into its designated spot and earned a pat on the shoulder from the old man, „Well done, kiddo. Well done. And welcome home.“

„Thanks, Moe.“

She went under deck to grab her duffel bag and asked if there was anything she could do for him before she left, but he only shook his head, „Come see me some time, kiddo. We could go fishing and catch up.“

„Will do.“

And then she jumped off the boat, right into the waiting arms of none other than Mary Margaret and David.  
Moe must have told them that they were coming because she had only called them to let them know that she had missed the ferry before her phone had died on her due to a low battery. She had forgotten to charge it.

Emma moved the scarf down and allowed her lungs to be filled properly.

Her eyes landed on a particular bench at the docks. 'Their' bench. Where she and Regina had spent countless hours reading, talking or just existing and she felt like she could finally breathe again.

It had taken her five years to come back, but now she was home.  
And she would finally see her again.


	2. I came back for you

Dinner with her parents had been lovely and Emma had been glad that they hadn't interrogated her about her return to Storybrooke Island right away.

They still had no clue that she wasn't just back for a short vacation and she was well aware that she had to tell them soon, simply because she would need to stay in her old room for a while.  
The real estate market on the island was complicated at best and finding a place of her own, an affordable one at least, wouldn't happen overnight.

 

* * *

 

She had gone to bed early, worn down by the memories and her emotions, which had caused her to wake up right in time for the sunrise and Emma had decided that it would be the perfect opportunity to go for a run and so she had done just that.

She had jogged down the beach, all the way to the docks had taken a short break at a particular bench before she had returned to her parents' loft where Mary Margaret had already been busy making breakfast.  
Her offer to help had been declined and so Emma had taken a quick shower before she had wolfed down Mary Margaret's blueberry pancakes as if she would still be a teenager, much to her mother's amusement.

„Any plans for today?“, David looked up from the newspaper he was reading.

„Uh yeah. I wanna go see some old friends, but I'll be free in the afternoon in case you wanted to do something together“, Emma answered and tried not to blush.

It wasn't necessarily a lie because she and Regina had been friends once upon a time, but she really didn't want to start a conversation about the very woman, with her parents no less, right then. Not ever, if she was really honest.

David nodded, „I was just wondering if you could help me at the shelter for a bit. That nasty storm last week has ruined a part of the fence pretty badly and I didn't have the time to fix it yet. It would be great if you could lend me a hand.“

„David!“, Mary Margaret scolded, „Emma just came home. Leave her alone before she decides to take her vacation elsewhere.“

He looked at her guiltily, „Right, I'm sorry...“

But Emma only smiled, „Of course I'll help you. Do you really think I'd miss out on a chance to cuddle with puppies?“

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes, but laughed anyway, „I guess some things never change.“

 

* * *

 

The walk over to Mifflin Street was way too short for Emma's liking because her nerves were showing at last.

She could already see the massive wooden front door with the number 108 and she felt like her heart would beat out of her chest any second.  
She had dreamed and fantasized about her return to the island for so long that it felt completely surreal now that she was finally here.

She was here and she would see Regina for the first time in five years.

Emma was sure she had never been that nervous in her life before and it was hard not to turn around and bail, but she had come this far and she felt like she couldn't go on another day without seeing Regina.

She was wearing her best pair of skinny jeans, a simple black v-neck shirt and her red leather jacket. It was well worn, but it still looked good and she would never get rid of it anyway.

Regina had gotten it for her as a high school graduation present and she loved that damn thing.

It was Sunday, so she figured chances were high that Regina would be at home, but as she made her way across the front lawn the doubts started to creep in.

What if this was a stupid idea? What if Regina was already dating someone else? What if her mother simply hadn't told her about that because why would Mary Margaret think that something like that could be of interest to her?

She almost bumped into the front door because she had been so caught up in her thoughts and Emma cursed herself. She hadn't really thought any of this through.

She should have...well, what? Called? Talked to her mother about Regina's dating habits?  
Whatever she should have done, it was too late now and so she raised her right fist and knocked with a shaking hand and a wildly beating heart.

If being a cop had taught her one thing then it was to be brave, no matter how scared she was.

She held her breath while she waited and when the door finally opened her heart skipped a beat. Emma was sure of it and nobody would be able to convince her otherwise.

Regina looked older, of course, but not less beautiful. The contrary really. Emma had never seen a woman just like her.

Clad in black slacks and a white button down shirt that was neatly tucked into her pants Regina looked absolutely gorgeous. Her make up was flawless, her lips a deep red and she was wearing heels that made her look taller than Emma knew her to be. She had grown her hair as it reached down to her shoulders now and the sight of her took Emma's breath away.

Regina looked at her, stunned into silence for a good minute before a surprised „Emma“ escaped her lips. And then Regina pulled her into one of these hugs that were almost too tight and yet nowhere near enough and Emma simply breathed her in.

Regina smelled of apples and cinnamon like she always had and Emma thought that Mary Margaret had been right.   
Some things never changed.

When Regina finally took a step back to look at her, mostly in wonder, Emma couldn't stop herself from smiling.  
It was so good to be here, right at this moment, and she wanted to scream from rooftops and dance in the middle of the street because she was just so happy.

„What are you doing here? I didn't know you were coming. Mary Margaret didn't say a word“, Regina eventually said, causing Emma to chuckle.

„She didn't know. I only called them yesterday and then I got stuck in traffic and missed the ferry, but then I ran into Moe“, Emma rambled while she tried to calm herself down enough to have a proper conversation.

When Regina realized that they were still standing in her doorway she stepped aside, „Please, do come in.“

Emma entered the mansion with a smile and followed Regina into the kitchen, where she watched her grab two mugs before she turned around to face Emma again, „Coffee?“

She nodded vigorously, „Yes. Coffee would be awesome.“

Emma studied Regina while she filled both mugs, only to have an eyebrow raised at her in question.

„I was just wondering why you look like you are about to head into office given that it is a Sunday, Madame Mayor“, Emma shrugged and took the mug once it was offered to her.

A sigh escaped Regina's lips „I've come to learn that it's easier to be ready in case of emergency than to run around hectically and try to look presentable within two minutes.“

„That makes sense“, Emma agreed and took a sip of the coffee Regina must have brewed right before she knocked on the door.

Regina studied her in silence for a while, leaning against the kitchen counter, before she spoke again, „Of all the places you could go to for a vacation you choose Storybrooke Island. Why is that?“

Emma shrugged, „Because I wanted to see you. Because I told you that I'd come back one day.“

Regina visibly winced at the words and put the mug down, „Emma...nothing has changed. No, that's not true. A lot has changed. Yes, I'm divorced now, but you are still my best friend's daughter. I'm still old enough to be your mother. And I'm not the person I once was. I'm a mother now. The mayor. I...“

„But I'm not a sixteen-year-old kid anymore, Regina. I'm twenty-three years old. I have a bachelor in criminology. And I have changed too I guess. But that doesn't mean that we can't get to know each other again“, Emma replied calmly because if she had learned one thing over the years it was that pressuring Regina led absolutely nowhere. At least nowhere good.

When Regina didn't say anything Emma continued, „I've missed you, you know.“

„Oh Emma...“

„Have you ever thought about me? Ever since that day...that day at the docks?“, Emma needed to know and she waited with bated breath and wide eyes.

„Of course I've thought about you, Emma! More often than I'd like to admit, but it doesn't change anything.“

Emma emptied her mug quickly, walked over to the sink and rinsed it out before she put it down.

„Listen. All I'm asking is that we spend some time together. Have breakfast or lunch with me at the diner. Or dinner somewhere.“

When she saw that Regina was about to shake her head Emma added, „You don't have to decide right now. Just think about it, okay?“

Emma wasn't sure if it was actually a nod, but at least Regina didn't decline outright and so she thanked her for the coffee and left before she would say something stupid. Something that would make Regina send her away for good.

She had expected their reunion to go better, but at least Regina had been happy to see her.

For a moment, when she hadn't overthought or worried or been scared, Regina had been glad to have Emma back.  
And that was what she would focus on, that was the foundation they could build on eventually.

 

* * *

 

Regina watched Emma walk away from the mansion through her kitchen window and she realized that her whole body was shaking.

She had thought she was hallucinating there for a moment when she had opened the door to reveal none other than Emma Swan in all her glory.

The shy sixteen-year-old girl was gone, she could tell right away. And instead of her a beautiful young woman, brave and confident, had appeared.

It all seemed so surreal and if Regina was really honest she was completely overwhelmed by the whole situation.  
She would have to keep extra busy to avoid any kind of opportunity to bump into Emma because no matter what Emma had said - it could never happen.

Not after what Daniel had done to her.  
Had done to them.

  
  



	3. Unwanted

Emma had helped her father at the shelter and had come to the conclusion that she really needed to get a dog once she would have her own place because she had wanted to have one since she could remember.

Over dinner, she had finally told her parents that she wasn't back for a vacation, but for the deputy job she had taken and would start the next day.  
Mary Margaret and David sure had been surprised, but overjoyed none-the-less.

She had arrived at the station bright and early the next morning and Graham had introduced her to her new colleagues – Deputy Dorothy Gale and Deputy Will Scarlet.  
Both of them had been off duty, Dorothy for the day and Will for the morning, and yet both of them had come to say 'hi' and Emma had appreciated it immensely.

Graham had shown her around, but it wasn't like much had changed at the station and Emma was actually relieved.  
Storybrooke Island was usually a quiet place and the crime rate was low, which was a welcome change from Boston.

When Graham had asked her if she had told Regina about her new job yet she had only shaken her head and he had shoved a folder into her hands right away with a smirk and a „Well, then I think it's about time you'd properly introduce yourself to our lovely mayor.“

And that was how Emma found herself at City Hall a few minutes later.

Regina's assistant, Mulan Hua, told her to go through when she had explained her presence because apparently, Regina needed the report immediately.  
She put on her best smile and entered the office after knocking quickly and stopped dead in her tracks as soon as she saw Regina openly glaring at her.

The sound of the door falling close behind her almost made her jump and Emma had to force herself to speak, „Madame Mayor, the sheriff sent me to give you this. I hear it is urgent.“

So far, so good.

Regina got up from her chair and held out her hand, taking the folder as soon as Emma was close enough to snatch it away from her, „Emma, what is the meaning of this?“

And then she spotted the badge on Emma's belt. A badge of the Storybrooke Island Police Department.  
And a gun.

No.  
No, no, no.  
That had to be a joke, right?

„Graham hired me. I'm the new deputy, Regina.“

„Are you crazy?! Why on earth would you do that, Emma? I know that you were the best in your class, well on the way to make detective. And don't try to deny it because Mary Margaret was so proud. It was literally all she spoke about for weeks. Why would you choose Storybrooke over that?“

Emma made a step forward and locked eyes with Regina, „Because you are here. And because I really like it here. It's my home.“

„Emma, nothing is going to change between us, do you hear me? It can never be. You are so young and you have all the opportunities in the world. Go, live your life, find out who you are...“

A chuckle escaped Emma's lips, „I'm perfectly aware of who I am, Regina. I always have been. You grow up pretty fast when you are in the foster system, but you already know that. Because you know me. And don't tell me what to do with my life. I'm not a child anymore. I'm a grown woman with a badge and a gun. I can stand my ground and I'm exactly where I want to be.“

„Emma“, Regina hissed, her voice full of warning.

But Emma only held up her hand, „Regina, don't. You can't make decisions for me any more than I can make decisions for you. You might be older than me, but I'm not a child. I'm old enough to carry a gun and instil the law. I sure as hell am old enough to choose what to do with my life and who I want to spend it with. And now if you'll excuse me, Madame Mayor. I have to meet up with the sheriff as I'm supposed to join him on patrol.“

 

* * *

 

It irked Emma that Regina wouldn't give her the time of day.

At first, she had thought Regina simply needed a bit of time to get used to the idea of her being back on the island. That Regina would come around.  
But nothing.  
Regina was as poised and collected as ever and only ever talked to her when it involved her job as a deputy of the local police department and after weeks of waiting around Emma felt like going crazy.

Life on the island could be so great, no, it was great.

It hadn't taken her long to settle into the new routine at the station with Graham, Dorothy and Will, nor to get used to living on the island again.  
Living with her parents was going better than she had expected as well because Mary Margaret gave her more space these days and David had even helped her to remodel her old room so it would fit her age and needs.

She was helping out at the shelter whenever she had time in return, much to her father's delight.  
And a couple of days ago she had finally met the adorable boy that was Henry Mills while she had been on patrol.

The kid had been in the park with his nanny Ashley when he had dashed off through the snow, just to bump into her legs.  
  
Emma had given him the biggest smile when she had realized who he was.  
The boy had grinned at her sheepishly and had stolen her heart right away because one look at him had been enough to see that he was Regina's son through and through.

She had expected Regina to show up at the loft at some point, but these days Mary Margaret always went out to meet her best friend somewhere and it frustrated Emma to no end. The island really wasn't that big, but she hardly ever caught a glimpse of the woman outside of her office or on the rare occasions she showed up at the police station and Emma was present.

Emma couldn't, not for the life of her, understand why they couldn't at least talk to one another.  
It left her confused and worried and also a little hurt because she was not an idiot.  
Regina was avoiding her like the plague and she had no explanation for the why this time. Nothing and no one could stop them from anything these days and yet Regina hardly even acknowledged her presence.

And so the weeks passed by and Emma spent her free time walking the shelter dogs, taking them for hikes and making sure they would get some exercise, one in particular.

A beautiful black shepherd named 'Nox'.  
The dog was about one and a half years old and had landed in the shelter only a couple of weeks before Emma's return. She had belonged to a fisherman, who had passed away from a heart attack not far from the island and nobody had claimed her, probably because she wasn't necessarily a tiny dog. Emma and David had talked about the possibility of training her to be a police dog and Emma had mentioned that she had a friend in Boston who was in the K9 unit and that she would ask him for help once she found a place of her own and could adopt the dog.

 

* * *

 

To Emma's big surprise a wet nose had woken her up on Christmas morning and she had stared right into the warm brown ones of Nox while a chuckling David had leaned against the door frame.

She had looked at him in confusion, but then Mary Margaret had appeared with a smile on her face and had simply said „Merry Christmas, sweetheart“ and it had dawned on Emma that Nox was there to stay.  
She had jumped from the bed and had hugged her parents in gratitude and her mother had told her that she didn't mind having a dog at the loft now that Emma was not a teenager anymore, but a responsible young woman who did an amazing and important job as part of the local police force and that Nox would be a great addition to the family and the department.

Emma had called Killian right away for some training advice which he had given her immediately. He had also promised to come to the island as soon as he could manage to take a few days off to help with training Nox.

To her big disappointment Regina hadn't shown up for Christmas dinner because she had kind of counted on it as it had been a tradition once, but Mary Margaret had explained that Regina had decided to spend the holidays with her son and her son alone and it was the first time that Emma wondered why Daniel hadn't even come back to see his son for Christmas.

Her mother had told her that he had left the island after the divorce, but had not shared further information on the matter and her relationship with Regina was pretty much nonexistent, so she couldn't even have asked Regina herself.

 

* * *

 

It was the day before New Year's Eve that Emma finally met the woman in question while she was taking Nox for a walk.

Unfortunately, Regina wasn't alone, but in the company of Ingrid, who owned the local bakery. Henry was there as well, playing in the snow, bundled up like an Eskimo. The sight was quite adorable, but Emma could barely keep her jealousy under control upon seeing Regina with the beautiful blonde, who looked a lot like Emma, just older.

God, why did age have to be such a big deal for Regina? It was just a number for heaven's sake!

Nox started to bark in excitement, drawing everyone's attention and Regina's eyes went wide as soon as she caught sight of Emma and the large dog. Henry came running before his mother could have reacted and she barely managed to stop him before he would have flung himself at the black dog, who stood by Emma's side with a wagging tail.

She told Nox to sit and the dog followed the command immediately before she knelt down to talk to Henry at eye level and explained to him how to approach her dog while Regina headed their way with a panicked expression.  
By the time she reached them Henry was already petting Nox on the head carefully, all the while paying attention to what Emma was telling him, nodding vigorously in understanding.

„Henry Mills, whatever has possessed you to storm off like that?“, Regina looked at her son expectantly.

„Sorry, momma. I wanted to say hi to the sheriff and her dog“, the boy replied sheepishly, causing his mother to struggle to keep her composure.

„Her name is Nox“, Emma stated before she looked up to face Regina. And Ingrid, „Good morning, Madame Mayor. Ingrid...“

The older blonde woman smiled, „Emma Swan! Look at you all grown up. It's good to see you!“

„Likewise“, Emma responded, not quite smiling, but at least not frowning. She had always liked Ingrid and her pastries, especially the bear claws had always been to die for and she suspected they still were, but seeing Regina talk and smile at the older woman had her feeling uneasy, especially since Regina refused to meet her, even for coffee.

It stung.

„Is that your dog?“, Ingrid asked, seemingly interested and Emma couldn't help but smile for real.

„Yeah. I saw her at the shelter every time I helped out David. Nobody ever wanted her because she's so big and I know how that feels...when everyone else gets picked over you“, Emma said and saw Regina pale, but she decided to ignore it.

„I talked to David how she would make a great police dog and that I thought about adopting her once I found a place to rent, but he and Mary Margaret got her for me. She woke me up on Christmas morning. It really was a lovely surprise. One of my friends from Boston will come up here somewhen soon and help me train her. He's working with the K9 unit“, Emma explained while she petted her dog.

„I think that's a wonderful idea, don't you, Regina?“

Everyone eyed the mayor expectantly, who struggled to say something. Anything really.

„Yes. That's very thoughtful and I'm sure the department will profit from having a dog on the team“, she managed to say at last, but incapable of looking Emma in the eye.

„I have to get going“, Ingrid announced, „I'm meeting my daughters for breakfast at the diner, but don't be a stranger, Emma Swan. Stop by at the bakery. I'm sure there is a bear claw with your name on it. And I'm sure I could find a recipe for dog treats as well.“

Nox barked her agreement, which caused Emma and Ingrid to laugh and Henry to giggle while Regina just stared.

„See you soon then, Ingrid“, Emma agreed before the woman said her goodbyes to Regina and Henry and walked off.

„Can I play with Nox?“, Henry asked innocently and Emma wanted to say 'yes' for the sole reason that Regina looked uncomfortable as hell, but she couldn't bring herself to do it, „Sorry, buddy. I need to get going, but maybe another time?“

„Okay“, the boy agreed eagerly and Emma turned to go, but stopped and looked over her shoulder, meeting Regina's eyes at last, „You should come to the New Year's party at the loft. I'm sure Mary Margaret would love to see you. And don't worry, I won't be there. I have plans of my own.“

And with that Emma left, all the while fighting the tears that threatened to fall, but she refused to cry.  
There was no point.

Regina apparently didn't want anything to do with her and as much as it pained her – she knew she had to accept it.  
Yes, she had dreamed about a different outcome, had held on to her hope and her love all these years, but she couldn't ignore the fact that Regina didn't want her any longer.

  
  



	4. New Year's gone wrong

True to her word Emma had left the loft before the party guests arrived at 8 pm, together with Nox, wrapped in countless layers of clothing as it was quite cold and windy.  
The duo went for a long walk down to the beach and eventually over the dunes to the back of the island where no one lived and she only arrived back at the docks a few minutes before midnight.

Looking out onto the water she dropped onto that familiar bench and patted the spot next to her, which caused Nox to jump up and sit down.

Sitting there with her dog, the freezing winter air blowing in her face, Emma finally allowed herself a moment of weakness.  
She had hoped to be sitting here with Regina, toasting to a new year full of opportunities, but most of all to their future together, but reality was far from her dream.

She wasn't surprised though because hardly anything in life had worked out for her, at least not permanently, and Emma knew better than to dwell on it.

The absurd hope that Regina would come around eventually wouldn't die, no matter how hard she tried, but Emma had come to accept that that particular day might never come.

She didn't regret returning to the island though because at least she had tried and except for things with Regina everything was going well and she was glad to be back.

She pulled a dog treat and a flask out of the pocket of her thick winter coat and offered the treat to Nox as the clock struck midnight before she took a sip of whiskey, „Happy New Year, Emma.“

 

* * *

 

She returned to her parents whispering in the kitchen shortly after one in the morning only to find out that Regina was passed out on the living room couch.

„What happened?“, Emma asked and couldn't hide the worry in her tone.

„Nothing“, David tried to assure her, „She had a bit too much to drink. Happens to all of us here and there.“

Mary Margaret wanted to say something, Emma could tell, but apparently thought better of it, „We should just let her sleep. I called Ashley and she said she'll stay with Henry tonight. She hadn't made plans anyway.“

„See“, David smiled, „No problem here whatsoever. Cleaning up can wait till the morning, so I'd say we all go to sleep and get some rest.“

Emma waited for her parents to retreat to her bedroom before she snuck over to the couch with a frown.  
Regina didn't drink. Not like that. She wasn't one who ever lost control nor did she allow her emotions to overrule her judgement.

Knowing from personal experience how uncomfortable the couch was to sleep on Emma came to a reckless decision before she could talk herself out of it.  
She scooped Regina up in her arms and carried her upstairs to her own room where she put the passed out woman on her bed, always careful not to wake her, under the watchful eye of Nox.

She covered Regina with her favourite blanket and retrieved some aspirin and a glass of water from the kitchen afterwards, putting everything on the nightstand before she left the room and shut the door quietly.

Emma considered sleeping on the couch herself but thought better of it in the end. If she would be in the apartment by the time Regina woke up chances were that all hell would break loose and she really didn't want to start off the new year on a bad note and so she left the apartment and headed for the station.

She'd keep Will company and crash in one of the cells.  
It would keep all of them safer than the alternative.

 

* * *

 

Emma woke up with a stiff neck and to the smell of coffee.

She expected to meet the warm, brown eyes of her dog once she managed to open hers successfully, but while the eyes, who stared at her were warm and brown, they didn't belong to Nox, but to Regina.

  
  


Emma almost fell off of the cot and struggled into a seating position as quickly as she could manage, „What time is it?“

„The better question is what you are doing here?! Why on earth would you drink to the point of being in need of sobering up in a cell? You are a deputy for heaven's sake! When will you ever grow up?!“  
Regina's eyes sparkled furiously and Emma didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

She chose to laugh because she would be damned if she would allow Regina to ever see her cry again, „Are you for real? Who got so wasted that they passed out on our living room couch?“

Regina paled instantly, „You...you know?“

Emma chuckled bitterly, „Of course I know. Who do you think carried you up to my room so you wouldn't have to sleep on that godawful couch? I merely decided to crash here because I thought you wouldn't take too well to waking up to me being there. At the loft.“

„Emma, I...“

„Save it, Regina. Save it for someone who wants to hear your bullshit and your excuses, but that person definitely isn't me!“  
That said Emma stormed out of the station, leaving a guilt-ridden Regina behind.

 

* * *

 

It was the third week of January when Regina showed up at the sheriff's station with two cups of coffee, a bag from the bakery and treats for Nox during Emma's lunch break.

She looked hesitant and insecure and nowhere near the woman, who was larger than life. The woman Emma knew her to be.

„I'm so sorry, Emma. I shouldn't have assumed. I was...confused to wake up in your room and I thought David had...and I met Graham on the way home. He had just taken over from Will and he had been on the way to the diner for proper coffee...and he mentioned that you were sleeping in a cell. His amusement about the situation should have been a dead giveaway that...that you did nothing wrong. I'm sorry for assuming...I had no right.“

„No, you didn't“, Emma said and her voice had more bite than she had intended because Regina was clearly distressed and she had no intention of making a bad situation worse for either of them, but she was hurt and angry and she was also fighting the instinct to jump up and hug Regina and never let go again.

Regina held out the coffee cup and the bag that would most likely contain a bear claw, „Thanks. There was no need to have your girlfriend bake this morning.“

When Regina looked at her in bewilderment Emma shrugged, „What? I know the bakery is closed today and whatever is in there is still warm so it has to be fresh.“

„Girlfriend? Ingrid is not my girlfriend“, Regina managed to rasp out eventually, „We ran into each other that day you saw us and I thought I'd take up the opportunity to discuss plans for Henry's birthday with her. It saved me a trip to the bakery because work is extremely busy this time of year.“

„Oh.“  
Emma felt her cheeks flush in embarrassment and she stared at Regina, not sure what to say.

Regina obviously didn't either because she stayed quiet as well while their staring match continued.

Only when the silence became too heavy Regina cleared her throat, „I should get going. Give these to your dog for me, will you?“

She put the box of treats on the blonde's desk and turned to leave when Emma finally found her voice, „Regina, wait.“

Emma watched as Regina slowly turned on her heels once again, only to eye her warily and she knew that she only had one shot to make this right.  
She got to her feet and dragged a chair over from Dorothy's desk, „Please, take a seat and have coffee with me. I just want to talk.“

Regina hesitated, but eventually nodded and sat down, seemingly nervous.

„Nox is with Killian. He arrived last night and is currently working with her“, Emma explained, not sure why she shared that piece of information, but when she received a nod of approval from Regina she continued talking about how she had met Killian and his dog „Hook“ while she had worked in Boston and how he and his wife Milah had become her friends.

When Regina asked questions about K9 training Emma knew she wasn't having this conversation with her friend or the woman she loved, but with the mayor of Storybrooke Island, but it didn't matter. As long as they were talking she was fine.  
And so she shared the knowledge she had about the matter and Regina listened with interest.

„Killian is going to show me some stuff and help me train Nox for a couple of days and I'll continue once he goes back to Boston. I might sign up for a training class or two there if I can get Graham to sign off on it, but he's signalled that he's in favour of it so I don't think it will be a problem“, Emma explained proudly.

„That sounds like a great idea. Henry is quite taken with your dog“, Regina admitted and took a sip of coffee.

„She's amazing. Maybe you can join one of our training sessions one of these days. Just to supervise of course“, Emma suggested and waited for an answer with bated breath.

„Maybe.“

 

* * *

 

After their lunch together things went back to how they were after Emma's arrival.  
Regina avoided her where she could and they only spoke when it was job-related and Emma felt utterly gutted.

That day at the station she had thought that they finally were on a good way to at least be friends again, but that hope had been crushed.  
And so she spent the next weeks working, helping out at the shelter and training with Nox because their classes in Boston were coming up.

Winter had given way to spring in the meantime as well and while life wasn't perfect, it was good.  
For the most part.

Until Emma took a call at the station one afternoon in late March, only to learn that the mayor's son had gone missing.  
She was out of her chair, out of the department really, Nox right beside her, faster than she could have blinked.

  
  



	5. Saving Henry

The police cruiser came to a halt with screeching tires and the siren blaring and Emma barely remembered to turn off the engine before she jumped out of the car, followed by her loyal dog.

Henry had been at an outing with his playgroup and Ashley and the other nannies had no idea how it had been possible for the boy to sneak away.  
He had been right there and two seconds later he had been gone. At least that was what everyone saying.

Ashley was in tears and she told Emma that she had tried to call Regina numerous times, but the mayor apparently was in a meeting and she hadn't been able to get a hold of her just yet.

„She'll be informed as soon as she gets out of the meeting“, Emma assured, „Let's try and find Henry in the meantime.“

She looked around and caught sight of the small, dark path in front of her and a foreboding feeling hit her right in the chest.  
The old mine shaft.

Dorothy and Will arrived at the scene right then because she had called them on the way although both of them were off duty and they had told her they would be on their way before she could have asked. Will told her that Graham had left to retrieve Regina and Emma, who had the most experience with missing kids due to her year at Boston PD was put in charge. She instructed Will to stay with the children and the nannies while she sent Dorothy down the path that led to the beach before she grabbed a torch from the car and headed for the other path towards the old mine. She wasn't sure why, but Emma was almost certain that Henry had taken that one.

Nox was on high alert, obviously well aware that they were looking for someone or something and Emma wished she would have started man trailing training with the dog already, but she hadn't found the time.  
Damn it.

But then she caught sight of the blue hat on the ground and she recognized it immediately. Henry had worn it that day she had bumped into him and his mother last winter.

„Come on, Nox“, Emma turned on the torch and sprinted straight towards the entrance of the old mine shaft and yelled into the walkie-talkie in her other hand to inform Dorothy and Will what was happening and that they should call an ambulance as a precaution and come over, but stay away from the mine shaft until further notice.

A few seconds later she disappeared in the darkness of said mine shaft, together with her dog.

 

* * *

 

Dorothy was yelling into her walkie-talkie for Emma to answer while the crowd that had gathered outside grew more and more restless.

„We should send someone else in!, Regina demanded, „I'll go myself!“

Mary Margaret needed all her strength to hold her best friend back.

Nox shot out of the darkness only a few minutes later, barking like he had gone mad and no force on earth could have stopped Regina then. She wrestled out of Mary Margaret's hold and ran towards the agitated dog, who jumped up on her instantly. Regina struggled to stay upright and keep her balance and any other time she would have yelled at the dog, but at that moment all she cared about was her son's well being.

And then she caught sight of Emma, who carried a laughing Henry in her arms and was headed in her direction.

Regina ripped the boy straight out of Emma's hands and hugged him tight, „Henry, what were you thinking?!“

She felt Emma put her hand on her forearm and squeeze it gently, „He's fine, don't worry. He chased after a rabbit and got lost in the mines.“

Graham jogged over and nodded at Emma in greeting, „Well done, deputy.“

„Thanks. Say, why is the mine shaft not closed? Because I could have sworn that you couldn't enter it when I was a teenager“, Emma looked at the sheriff expectantly.

Graham shrugged helplessly, „I don't know to be honest. No one ever comes here. It was still closed the last time I was here. Maybe some of the teens thought it would be fun to go exploring.“

„We need to make sure it gets closed again“, Emma stated matter-of-factly and ran her hand through her hair.

Graham's eyes went wide at the moment, „Shit, Emma...you are bleeding!“

That got Regina's attention as well.

She grabbed Emma's arm with her free hand, the other one holding Henry securely at her hip, and looked it over, spotting the blood that kept running down Emma's hand and must be coming from somewhere on her forearm, „Why didn't you say that you were hurt?!“

„It's just a scratch“, Emma tried to assure, but Regina didn't believe her for a second.

„Just a scratch?! Is that the reason you are bleeding all over the place? Emma!“

Graham was already talking to a paramedic, who was standing next to the ambulance and a few moments later Emma found herself being shoved into said vehicle while another paramedic checked Henry over.

Mary Margaret was standing right next to the gurney she was sitting on, worry written all over her face, „What happened, sweetheart?“  
  


Emma shrugged, „Henry was stuck with his leg. You know how there is so much left over trash in the mines and when I tried to get him out I must have hurt myself on one of the iron tools or something. I didn't see properly, it was too dark. It's no big deal.“

„On the contrary, Deputy Swan“, the paramedic disagreed, „You need to go to the hospital. This wound needs to be cleaned properly and I'm afraid you'll need stitches.“

Emma groaned in annoyance, but caved at the look her mother shot her, „Fine.“

 

* * *

 

She left the hospital about two hours later with nine stitches and a bandaged arm, David in tow.

Mary Margaret had taken Nox home and away from the scene and promised to cook Emma's favourite dinner while they would be in the ER.

To Emma's big surprise Regina was waiting in front of the building when they arrived at the loft and she told David to go upstairs already, she would only be a minute.

„How is your arm?“, Regina asked right away, her tone demanding, and Emma sighed.

Obviously, Regina was still in a mood and she cursed herself for refusing the pain meds Doctor Whale had offered her.

„Good. It will heal in no time“, she assured, hoping that it would settle Regina's nerves.

For a few moments, after Regina had basically ripped the boy from her hands, they had been so close that they could have kissed and Emma would lie if she said she hadn't been tempted, but Henry had been squeezed against Regina's hip and warm brown eyes had sparkled dangerously, full of anger and an insane amount of worry.  
And that's why she had stepped back instead of getting closer.  
But the temptation had been there.

She was there now as well, but it wasn't an option and according to Regina it never would be.

She had made that mistake once. She had kissed Regina once without Regina expecting her to and that single kiss had destroyed everything.  
She would be damned if she would ever risk it again.

Regina took a deep, calming breath, on the brink of saying something, but apparently, words failed her as she fell silent instead of speaking her mind.

„There's no need for thanks, Regina“, Emma offered, „But you are welcome. All I did was my job and even if it wouldn't have been I would have found him for you. Or anyone else's kid for the matter. It's what any decent person would have done.“

Regina looked at her dumbfoundedly for a minute before she whispered, „But you got hurt.“

„Sure wasn't the first time and it won't be the last either“, Emma commented dryly, „And now if you'll excuse me. I'm starving. Good night, Regina.“

She was about to take the first flight of stairs when Regina finally spoke, „Would you like to have lunch with Henry and I at Granny's on Saturday?“

„I'd like that, but unfortunately I won't be here on Saturday as I'm going to Boston with Nox on Thursday and I'll be gone for a couple of weeks. K9 training.“

Regina nodded helplessly, „Maybe once you are back.“

„Maybe.“

  
  


  
  


  
  



	6. A step forward?

Emma returned to Storybrooke Island the first week of May.

She had stayed longer than she had initially planned, but Nox had turned out to have way more potential than they had expected and Killian had suggested more one on one training with just Emma and her dog.

Graham had been very supportive of the idea and Will and Dorothy had been on board with the extra shifts as well and so Emma had stayed away and if she was honest she had needed the break from the island.

Regina inviting her to lunch had her completely overwhelmed and after months of mostly radio silence, she hadn't known what to do.  
Had it even been Regina's idea? Or had it been Henry's? Had it been a mere gesture out of gratitude or had Regina finally made a step in her direction?

Emma didn't dare to hope anymore and so she returned to Storybrooke Island with mixed feelings where Regina was concerned.  
Spending so much time training Nox or hanging out with Killian, Milah and Ruby had kept her distracted, but now she had to face reality once more.

And the reality was that Regina was most likely only talking to her out of gratitude for saving her son, but aside from that, the woman she had considered to be the love of her life wanted nothing to do with her.

Her parents were waiting for her at the docks once again and although she had known right away that Regina wouldn't be there to welcome here Emma still couldn't help, but to feel disappointed.

David drove them straight to the station because Emma wanted to show off Nox and her skills and why they had been gone for so long and to her big surprise, Regina was there, completely tense and apparently highly irritated.

Why Emma didn't know, but she decided not to dwell on it because it was none of her business. Regina had made that more than clear.

Dorothy, Will and Graham were present too, everybody curious about what Nox and Emma had accomplished during their time in Boston and Emma figured it had to be the reason for Regina's presence as well. She was the mayor after all and clearly, she would want to know what was happening on „her“ island.

They walked the short distance to the park, all of them including her parents, and Emma and Nox gave a little demonstration of what they had learned and were capable of.

Graham seemed truly impressed and suggested that, if the opportunity would arise, they could find a second dog to train at the shelter, in case anyone would want to work with said dog and Dorothy volunteered right away. David, with a huge smile on his face, agreed to keep his eyes open.  
Mary Margaret beamed with pride and Regina, while obviously impressed, said nothing.

It was only when she turned with a simple nod and headed for Town Hall again that Emma realized that something must be wrong and she excused herself before she dashed after Regina, Nox right on her heel while Mary Margaret observed with worry.

„Regina, wait!“

Emma watched as Regina's spine stiffened at the sound of her voice, but she caught up to her anyway.  
She stopped right in front of Regina, who refused to meet her eyes and she sighed. Why did Regina have to make everything so complicated?

„How are you?“, Emma asked carefully, causing Regina to scoff.

„I'm fine, of course.“

It was Emma's turn to frown because Regina clearly was a lot of things, but fine she was not.

„Cut the bullshit, Regina. We both know that's not true. Care to tell me what's going on?“

Regina took a step back, „I don't know what you are talking about. I'm busy. I need to get back to my office. I don't even know why Graham called to let me know you'd be back today.“  
The _'Why haven't you?'_ hanging in the air unspoken.

„Wait, are you mad that I didn't call?“  
Emma was sure that couldn't be it, at least it couldn't be the whole story.

„I'm not mad because you didn't call, but it would have been nice if somebody would have kept me updated as you were supposed to be back weeks ago. And I'm still the mayor“, Regina hissed.

The hostility made Emma frown, but then her eyes went wide when a sudden understanding hit her, „You thought I wouldn't come back, didn't you?“

„It would have been none of my business“, Regina looked like a caged animal, ready to snap.

„Bullshit! You hide behind all that bluster, but you do care. And you thought I ran, didn't you? Because I was supposed to come back earlier, but then I didn't. You really thought I'd left for good, didn't you, Regina?“

„It doesn't matter.“

Emma laughed bitterly, „Of course it matters! My God, Regina. I would never do that. I would never...not without saying goodbye. Not that I'm ready to let go. I don't know that I ever will.“

Regina tensed at Emma's words and shook her head vehemently, „You have to. For both our sakes.“

„Have dinner with me“, was Emma's reply and as predicted it threw Regina off.

„What?!“

Emma took a step closer, „You wanted to take me to lunch before I left. So have dinner with me. Just one dinner. And if we don't get along at all I'll stay away.

Regina didn't reply for a long moment, but eventually, she nodded hesitantly, „Meet me at Granny's on Friday. At seven. Sharp.“

 

* * *

 

The week went by in a blur with Emma taking as many extra shifts as she could to „make up“ for her long absence. It also helped to keep her distracted, but as soon as she entered Granny's diner on Friday she turned into a nervous wreck. She was fifteen minutes early, but she didn't care.

It was finally happening. She was having dinner with Regina.

To her great horror, her parents were sitting in their usual booth at the diner, enjoying dinner together as it seemed and Emma knew right away that things could only go wrong if Regina were to set foot in the diner with Mary Margaret and David present.

But it wasn't like she could go over there and tell them to leave because she had dinner plans with Regina. It would only lead to questions she couldn't answer because Regina would have her head on a plate if she would ever breathe a word about any of this to her mother. Or anyone else for that matter.

Before Emma could debate what to do she was approached by Archie, who told her he had spotted an unknown boat not far from the docks in the early morning when he had walked his dog Pongo.  
For the third time in a row no less.  
It had been close enough to watch what was happening at the docks, but not close enough to make it from the boat to the shore.

Emma admitted that it sounded weird, but didn't think it was all that suspicious. She told Archie to keep his eyes open and report back to her in case the boat would re-appear again.

The simple sound of the bell over the diner door made her jump because she knew that it had to be Regina before she even saw her.

Emma took a deep breath to steel herself and then she turned around, only to stop dead in her tracks when she caught sight of the very woman she hadn't been able to forget for a single second ever since she had fallen in love with her all these years ago.

She had expected a Mayor Mills appearance, but Regina was not in one of her business suits, but in a tasteful red dress and matching heels, makeup and hair as flawless as ever.   
She was a vision in red really and it didn't go unnoticed by anyone in the diner and Emma saw her mother shooting them a curious look as well.

God, no.  
This whole evening would be over before it had even begun.  
  


Regina was tense and maybe even a bit insecure, but Emma would never say that out loud because if Regina was known for one thing than it was her confident and intimidating personality. At least when it came to the world outside.

When brown eyes went wide as she caught sight of David and Mary Margaret Emma finally got out of her stupor and walked the few steps over to her and kissed her on the cheek in greeting while she whispered, „We can go somewhere else if you want.“

To her surprise, Regina shook her head and gestured towards a secluded booth in the back and Emma let out the breath she hadn't even been aware of holding.  
She didn't even know why she worried so much, or why Regina seemed to be so tense all the time because they hadn't done anything wrong. They barely even talked these days.

Once they were both seated and had placed their orders Emma noticed that Regina stared at her uncomfortably and Emma knew she had to say the „right“ thing or Regina would bolt at last.

For a moment she was unsure how to proceed, but then Emma decided to stick with what she knew. With who they were.  
And so she smiled at Regina and simply said, „Read anything interesting lately?“

 

* * *

 

Books had been their „lifesaver“.

Ever since Emma had come to Storybrooke Island all these years ago, but even more so now.

Dinner had turned into a heated discussion about favourite writers (they had changed a lot over the years, at least on Emma's part) and David and Mary Margaret had left the diner smiling at them.

If Emma wasn't completely mistaken her mother had said 'Some things really don't change' to her father on the way out and the thought alone amused her.  
Because yes, some things didn't change.

Like the way Regina smiled when she didn't worry or the rare occasions when Emma said something so completely idiotic that she received a heartfelt laugh in response. Or the way Emma's stomach still fluttered in these moments.

How alive and incredible she felt whenever she was in Regina's presence.  
How her lips still tingled with the memory of a single kiss that had been heaven and hell. And was to this day.

Emma offered to walk Regina home and handed her the red leather jacket too when she saw Regina shiver.  
It had gotten quite warm during the day, but the wind was chilly at times, particularly in the evenings and during the nights.

Regina took it hesitantly, but wrapped it around her shoulders in the end and now that they were passing by the docks Emma couldn't keep quiet any longer.

„I don't understand what you are so worried about. Or why you are always so tense. Regina, just talk to me, please. Why can't we just spend time together? It's not like we are doing anything salacious“, Emma tried to reason with her, but to no avail.

Regina just brushed her off with a simple, „Just let it go, Emma.“

She stopped walking then, right in front of what had once been 'their' bench, „I can't. Regina, don't you get it?! I can't let it go because I don't understand why it has to be this way. I'm a grown woman. I'm old enough to carry a gun and a badge, old enough to...and you treat me like the same sixteen-year-old girl I haven't been in years!“

Regina whirled around, eyes sparkling with fury, „Don't you think I don't know that, Emma?! Have you seen yourself? When I opened the door that day you came back...I could hardly believe my eyes. You're so grown up, so...you're a woman. Not the girl I used to know.“

„Then why...“

„It changes nothing. Do you hear me?!“, Regina's eyes were sparkling furiously in the moonlight, NOTHING!“

„Why, Regina? Just tell me why! Because I know you care. No matter what you try to tell me...you still care too!“, Emma insisted.

Regina took a step closer, dangerous like a panther stalking its prey, „Of course I care. I never stopped. I could never forget you. Not when I was married to Daniel, not when I was pregnant with Henry. And I always wondered...but it can never be. Mary Margaret is still your mother. She is still my best friend. And I'm still twice as old as you are.“

„I don't care“, Emma defended, „Why is age such a big deal for you when it isn't for me? And Mary Margaret doesn't get a say when it comes to who I want to be with. That's MY choice, not hers.“

Regina sighed, „A part of my heart will always belong to you, Emma, but I have a son. I have a life that revolves around work and Henry and is utterly boring for most people. I don't even get to leave the island most of the time although I sometimes wish I had more time to see the world. But between being the mayor and raising Henry there's not enough time. I barely have any friends and the one true friend I have, the one true friend I always had is your mother. She was there for me when my own mother treated me like an inconvenience, like garbage really. She was there to pick up the pieces after the whole divorce debacle and I can't lose her. I can never lose her because she is all I have in regards to family except for my own son. And he will grow up and probably move away at some point and then I'm...I can't lose her. If you care about me as much as you say you will forget about this...and move on. Live your life, fall in love with someone else and enjoy every moment of it because you and I...it's never going to happen.“

Emma stumbled backwards like she had been slapped in the face, eyes wide and frantic, „You're scared. You're scared that Mary Margaret would abandon you over this? Us?“

Regina chuckled bitterly, „What kind of question is that? She would never approve. If I would be in her shoes I wouldn't either. And there is no us. There can never be.“

Emma paled visibly, „So they would abandon me too.“

Regina registered too late what she had said when she saw the panicked expression on Emma's face. The hurt, „Emma, no. They would never abandon you. That's different. You are family. I'm just...I'm not.“

„If there's anyone Mary Margaret considers family, truly, it has to be you. Tell me you know that, Regina. Tell me you at least know that“, Emma pleaded.

A helpless shrug was all the answer she got.  
And a whispered, „Daniel was supposed to be family too and look where that got me.“

The completely lost look in Regina's eyes threw Emma for a loop, „What happened? What did he do?“

„It doesn't matter. Not anymore. Just move on, Emma. You're clinging to an idea of us that isn't real, that can never be real. You're holding on to an idea of me, of who I am and I'm telling you...I'm not the person you think I am. I bet I'm rather perfect in your memory, but the truth is I am not. I'm flawed and broken and a mother and thirty-ni...“, Regina couldn't even finish the sentence.

Emma was a lot braver in that regard, „You are thirty-nine years old, I'm well aware. And I don't think you are perfect or flawless, Regina. Because I know better. I know you. Whether you believe it or not. But I'll respect your wishes because I can't force you. You want me to move on. So be it.“

Regina nodded numbly, tears glistening in her eyes and she shrugged off the jacket, holding it out to Emma, but the blonde only shook her head.

„Keep it. It was my armour. It shielded me from the world outside. It always made me feel warm and protected and home. Because you gave it to me. I don't think I could wear it again after tonight. I'll see you around, Madame Mayor.“

Emma's heart shattered as she said it.  
And then she ran.


	7. A conversation long overdue

Emma stumbled up the stairs way past midnight, but nowhere near drunk enough.  
She was hurting in a way that she couldn’t describe.

Why Regina was so hellbent on pushing her away was a mystery to her. Why couldn’t they at least be friends?

 

Regina did care, she knew that much.

No matter what Regina tried to tell her, Emma could decipher at least that in regards to Regina’s reactions.

 

Their dinner had felt a lot like a date, Emma couldn’t help herself.

Regina clearly had made an effort, not that she didn’t always look magnificent, but she had dressed up and there had been something in her eyes. Something insecure, something a little bit hopeful.

But it had ended with Regina shutting her out once again and Emma was devastated.

She just wanted to be with Regina. Hold her, protect her and never let go again.   
Regina and Henry really because they were a package deal and the boy truly was too adorable for words.

Emma was fumbling with her keys and about to unlock the front door when it fell open to a worriedly looking Mary Margaret staring back at her.

„Hi Mom“, Emma mumbled weakly and dragged herself inside with hanging shoulders.

„Sweetie, what happened? Sit down, I’ll make some hot chocolate. And then we’ll talk. I think it’s time we talked.“

Emma nodded dumbly and walked into the living area where she let herself fall onto the couch as Nox came running downstairs and took her seat right next to Emma’s legs. She ran her shaky hands through the soft, black fur and her dog’s presence calmed her and she tried to collect her thoughts.

What could she possibly tell Mary Margaret? How much could she reveal?

She was, by no means, drunk, but a bit fuzzy in the head and although Emma was aware that Regina would hate her for it, she had to talk to someone because the whole situation ate her up from the inside.

„Emma, sweetie, please talk to me“, Mary Margaret said as she handed her a cup of cocoa and took a seat next to her daughter.

Emma closed her eyes because she couldn’t. Regina would never forgive her.

She wanted to. She wanted to tell someone, wanted someone’s comfort because her heart was aching and breaking, but she couldn’t.

 

A heavy silence hung over the room until Mary Margaret took a sip of her own hot chocolate, „Emma, are you gay?“

 

She sighed. And sighed again.

So they had figured that out at least.

 

„Yeah.“

Emma hoped and prayed that Regina had been right about this one thing at least. That fateful day when a single kiss had changed everything.

She felt how her mother took her hand, how she squeezed it gently.

 

„Emma…there’s nothing wrong with who you are. Or who you love. David and I…you’re our daughter and we love and support you, no matter what, okay?“

All she could do was nod, afraid that she’d start to cry otherwise, but the tears started to flow anyway.

Mary Margaret took both of their mugs and put them on the couch table before she pulled Emma into a hug, „What has you so upset, sweetie? Why are you even here? Don’t get me wrong. We love to have you here, but you should be in Boston, working your way up to detective. You’re so smart. Why are you wasting it all on our little island? Did something happen in Boston?“

Emma shook her head because she knew how worried her mother had been ever since she had told them that she wanted to become a police officer, „Nothing happened. I just…I came back because. I’m in love with someone. I’ve been for a very long time.“

„Oh.“

Mary Margaret ran her hand over Emma’s back, „And does she love you too?“

Emma shrugged, a helplessness in her eyes that brought her mother to tears, „There was a time when I thought she might, but these days…I’m not sure. I don’t think so.“

„I’m so sorry, honey. But you know there are other girls out there“, Mary Margaret tried to encourage her, but Emma only shook her head again.

„You don’t understand. She’s _The One_. I know she is. Sometimes you just know. You know?“

„I do“, Mary Margaret looked at her daughter thoughtfully, „It’s not Ruby, is it?“

„Ewwww…moooom! No, of course not. She’s my sister. Well, not by blood, but…she’s my sister“, Emma was convinced she would be a little green in the face.

Mary Margaret smiled, slightly amused at the grossed out look on Emma's face, „Okay. You don’t have to tell me, but I want you to know that you could talk to me. If you wanted to.“

They sat in silence for a long while, Emma’s thoughts raging like a hurricane.

There was a battle going on inside of her. A battle she couldn’t win, either way, she knew that much.

„It’s Regina.“

She whispered at last and she wasn’t sure if Mary Margaret had even heard until her mother’s eyes went wide in shock.

„Regina?! You’re in love with Regina?“

Emma nodded hesitantly, her shoulders sagging even more, „I’ve been in love with her since I’ve been sixteen years old. Still am.“

It was Mary Margaret’s turn to be quiet, shocked into complete speechlessness.

Emma was in love with her best friend. With her 39-year-old best friend.

Her eyes went even wider as realisation hit her hard.

„Did she…? Did she ever…“, Mary Margaret didn’t even know how to ask.

What had Regina done to Emma? Had she behaved inappropriately?

How had she not seen? How had she not known?

„God, no. Of course not. Mom, we’re talking about Regina. Regina would never“, Emma defended right away before she admitted, „I…I kissed her once. It was me. And she shut me down and she told me it could never be. Nothing ever happened. She pushed me away then and she does to this day.“

Mary Margaret let out the breath that she hadn’t been aware of holding. She was so relieved.

„I just don’t get it. I’m not a kid anymore. And these days we can’t even be friends because she’s so distant. She’s sooo…I don’t know. And it’s all about the age gap which is ridiculous because I don’t care. And she’s so scared of losing you because you’d never understand and wouldn’t approve and…God, she’s so infuriating and I’m…I should shut up now.“

Emma closed her eyes and cursed herself for saying anything at all. This would blow up in her face spectacularly come morning.

„She thinks I’d hate her if she were to date you?“, Mary Margaret looked completely offended, „Regina really thinks I’d throw away our friendship over this?“

„I don’t know“, Emma looked as helpless and she sounded, „Mom, please. I beg you. You can’t tell her that you know. That I told you. She’d never forgive me.“

Mary Margaret nodded hesitantly, „I…this is all…I have to process this. But I won’t say a word. I promise.“

„Thank you, mom.“

 

* * *

 

Her mother had, much to Emma’s surprise, kept her word and hadn’t told Regina about their conversation. At least not as far as she knew.

And so the next few weeks had gone by with Emma working a lot, training Nox and lending a helping hand to the citizens of Storybrooke Island whenever she was needed.

Until the fateful day that she had gone to the Rabbit Hole for drinks with Dorothy and Will. The day she had bumped into a quite inebriated Marian Locksley.

They had started talking and Marian had told her how her marriage was falling apart because she had suggested a break a couple of months ago. And how her husband had started seeing some woman named Zelena during that time and now Zelena was pregnant now and Robin didn’t know what he wanted.

And together in their drunken stupor, they had come up with the ridiculous plan of making Robin jealous. Together.

If Regina would get jealous in the process as well, even better.

Little did Emma know that said plan would backfire spectacularly.

 


	8. An unexpected truth

Emma and Marian were sitting at Granny’s, enjoying breakfast and chatting animatedly about Roland and his newest antics, which left them laughing a lot.

Robin was sitting in the other corner, watching his wife in confusion and unease and Emma had to admit that she found it amusing.

She got up eventually because she had a shift at the station to get to and Marian followed suit, stepping closer to Emma to signal that it was fine and so Emma leaned in and kissed her goodbye while Robin’s eyes almost popped out of his skull.

And then Emma turned around to look straight into the eyes of none other, but Regina, who seemed to be shocked and even a bit hurt, but most of all angry and irritated.

Now, what the hell was that about?

Emma decided that she couldn’t care about this, couldn’t care about whatever was wrong with Regina in that moment because Regina had told her to move on anyway.

She left the diner with her head held high and her heart beating wildly in her chest, but as soon as she heard the trademark sound of Regina’s heels clicking on the pavement Emma knew that she was in trouble.

What she couldn’t figure out was why.

„What the hell do you think you are doing?!“, Regina bellowed from behind her, but Emma didn’t slow down.

She might love her, but she was done with Regina and her attitude.

„Emma Swan, don’t you dare walk away from me!“

Realising that they were drawing a crowd of onlookers Emma turned around, almost bumping into Regina in the process.

„I’m the one walking away from you?! Who’s avoiding me like the plague for months?!“, Emma snarled.

Regina took a step back at the fury in Emma’s voice as if she had been wounded.

But Emma simply kept pushing because she’s finally reached her limit, „What do you want, Regina? And do you really want to have this discussion here? Or can we at least go to the station because otherwise, I’ll be late for work.“

Emma didn’t get an answer per se, just a hand gesture that called for her to lead the way.

They walked the short distance to the station in silence and Emma basically shooed a confused Will out of the building because she was well aware that there was a storm coming and she really didn’t need any witnesses for that.

Thank God Nox was with David for her vet check this morning or things could have gotten ugly really fast.

She basically shoved Regina into the interrogation room and locked the door behind them while she tried to calm herself. Losing her temper wouldn’t accomplish anything because Regina’s was bad enough for two.

Emma crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the desk, waiting for the rant that would undoubtedly come and she didn’t have to wait long.

„What on earth are you doing, Emma? Marian Locksley?! She is married for heaven’s sake. And she’s even older than I am…“, Regina glared at her, her eyes sparkling dangerously.

It was probably meant to be intimidating, but it didn’t work on Emma and she laughed bitterly, „One. Marian and Robin are separated and second…what’s it to you? So she is older than I am. So what? Not everyone gets all bent out of shape over a bit of an age gap. I certainly don’t care. She’s nice and she’s beautiful. I really don’t know what your problem is.“

She had apparently managed to render Regina speechless at last because no answer came and so Emma continued, „I’ve loved you for so long, Regina. I’ve held on to that love for years. Without even seeing you. I held on to it when you basically abandoned me. All this time it kept me going still. It has helped me through some very challenging times. I came back for you. And you shot me down. Repeatedly. You don’t want me and that’s fine. I have to accept that and I do. And you told me to move on. So the least you can do is to allow me the courtesy to try.“

And it was in that moment that Regina finally broke.

„Emma, I…“

A single tear ran down Regina’s cheek and she choked out a sob, „I do want you. I’ve wanted to be with you since you kissed me all those years ago. It awakened something in me, something I didn’t even know existed. I thought about you, dreamed about you almost every day since. You have no idea how much I loved you. How much I love you. But we can’t. It was impossible then and it is impossible now. I know you don’t understand, but I can’t. Right now age might not be an issue for you, but it will be. One day it will. Believe me.“

„Regina…“

„I’m sorry that I hurt you by pushing you away, but being around you is too hard. It’s a constant reminder of what I can never have and I just can’t.“

Regina dropped her head into her hands to hide her tears.

„Regina, please.“

Emma took a step closer, but Regina gestured for her to stay away.

She took a deep breath before she looked up, straight into Emma’s eyes. Tears were swimming in them as well.

„You are not a teenager anymore. I know that, Emma. It’s undeniable. You’re a young and incredibly capable woman. There’s no doubt about that. Please don’t waste your life away by chasing after an illusion. After a dream. I know you’re trying to prove a point by seeing Marian Locksley now, but it doesn’t matter. You and I…it can never be. I don’t know how to love very well, to begin with, and you…I know you think you love me…“

„I do love you“, Emma rasped out, shaken by Regina’s admission beyond words.

„Be that as it may…it won’t last. If only you’d open your heart to the world outside“, Regina insisted, but Emma shook her head.

„You can choose to ignore this. Us. But you don’t get to tell me how I feel about you, Regina. You don’t. In five years I didn’t have one relationship. A few one-night stands here and there, but that was it. A means to an end. And it’s not that I didn’t meet anyone worth dating. I did. But every time I closed my eyes I saw you and the thought of building a life with someone else was unbearable. It is to this very day. I know it was wrong to kiss you when I did, but I don’t regret it. I mean I regret what came afterwards, but kissing you I will never regret. I knew right then that you are the one. Sometimes you just know. And if only you’d have some faith in us we could make it work. We could. I know we could. But I also know that it won’t happen. You won’t allow it. And so it has to end. I have to try to move on. Please, let me.“

Regina stood stock still, countless emotions washing over her until, after a few minutes, she finally calmed and her professional mask was back in place and she nodded, „Very well. Goodbye, Emma.“

And then she walked over to the door, unlocked it and left the station as stoic as always, even though she was dying inside.

 

* * *

 

When Emma returned to the loft after her shift Mary Margaret was busy cooking dinner.

She offered to help and her mother gratefully accepted, unsuspecting of her daughter’s intentions of interrogating her.

Emma was cutting tomatoes when she finally worked up the nerve to ask what she wanted to know, „So, mom. You never told me why Regina actually divorced Daniel.“

Mary Margaret was startled by Emma’s interest and eyed her daughter curiously, „What is this about, Emma? What does it matter now? After all this time.“

She didn’t know what to tell her mother, but in the end, she decided to simply tell her the truth because otherwise Mary Margaret would probably not say a word, „Because Regina went kind of ballistic on me for kissing someone. And she went on and on about age and how it will become a problem one of these days and I have the feeling that there is a story there.“

„You were kissing someone? Whom?“

Emma looked at her mother sheepishly, „Marian. Locksley.“

„Emma!“

Mary Margaret looked positively scandalised, „She’s married, how could you?! What the hell were you thinking?“

„They are separated! And I thought if Regina realises that I really don’t care about age and…“, Emma shrugged helplessly.

Her mother’s look turned pitiful, „You thought you could make Regina jealous, didn’t you?“

When her daughter didn’t answer Mary Margaret pulled her into a hug, „Oh Emma.“

Emma wriggled out of her mother’s hold eventually, „So? Why did she divorce him? Please, tell me. I just want to understand. Because nothing makes sense.“

Mary Margaret sighed heavily, „She didn’t. He did.“

„Daniel divorced her?! Why on earth would he do that?“

Emma could barely contain her rage. How could he? That man truly was a moron.

„I always thought it started after you moved away, but now that I think about it…it was after the time David and I went to New York that one year for our wedding anniversary…“

Emma blushed and Mary Margaret put two and two together, „Oh.“

„Yeah. I know it’s totally awkward. Keep talking. What happened?“

Mary Margaret leaned against the kitchen counter for support, „Regina wasn’t happy, I could tell. But she wouldn’t talk about why or what was going on. She was always working and I barely got to see her. She barely spent any time with Daniel either. He complained a lot. But she kept working. So imagine my surprise when he announced the pregnancy after your graduation. But pregnancy suited Regina…it calmed her down. She finally cut back on her hours and then Henry was born and he became her whole world.“

Emma smiled at the mental image her brain was creating.

„In the beginning, Daniel was really proud to be a father and then Regina decided to run for office. The election was tiresome, of course, but she managed it like a pro. Things with Daniel were strained, I knew that much, but she had only been mayor for a couple of months when he told her that he wanted a divorce because he was sick of their life. Because it was always just Henry here and Henry there. And that he wanted his carefree and spontaneous life back, that he hadn’t thought having a child meant that he would have to live in prison. Regina was devastated that he would simply abandon his family, his son, but then she found out that he had been cheating on her for a while. With Lily, one of the girls who had been part of her election campaign. A 25-year-old, younger version of Regina basically.“

„That bastard! I’m glad he left the island or I’d punch him in the face!“, Emma bit out, fists clenched, „That’s why she believes I’ll ditch her eventually, isn’t it?“

Mary Margaret sighed again, „I guess so.“

 


	9. Always

Emma had hardly seen Regina the next couple of weeks, but she was busy at the station anyway.  
The summer months were the high time for tourism on the island and with all the tourists came the troubles.  
Missing purses, accidents, fights at the beach and so on.

She was tired and exhausted from working the graveyard shift all week by herself because Will had been ill and she was more than ready for Graham to show up so she could go home and get some proper rest that Monday morning in July when the phone at the station rang.

Emma cursed Graham for being late and picked up the phone, not knowing that her life was about to change forever.

 

* * *

 

She was out of the station and in the car in a heartbeat.

Misses Tillman had called and had told her that the sheriff and the mayor had entered the bank a couple of minutes ago and that a man wearing a mask had stormed in shortly afterwards.

That shots had been fired.  
Emma hadn’t even hung up the phone properly. She had acted before she even had a plan.

It was only when she came to a stop in front of the bank with screeching tires that it dawned on her that she had to call in Dorothy and Will.  
She called Dorothy first, told her to come to the bank instantly and inform Will as well. Sick or not, they needed everyone available.

Her mind was racing.

Shots fired. Someone was probably injured. And it couldn’t be the robber or Regina and Graham would have been out of the bank already.  
She had been trained for situations like this, but at that moment her mind was pretty much blank.  
What was she supposed to do?

Negotiate.  
She had to try and negotiate.

Dorothy came running down the street, Will in tow only moments later and Emma had never been so grateful to see them in her life.  
Will suggested to put the area on lockdown and when the two women agreed he went to work right away.

„Dorothy, call for assistance. We might need a swat team. I’ll try to call the bank. Maybe we can come to an understanding.“

Her fellow deputy nodded and Emma clicked through her contacts till she found the right number.  
She bounced her leg nervously while more and more people appeared at the scene, much to her chagrin, but she couldn’t focus on that.  
She had to stay calm and focused.

The phone rang.  
And rang.  
It took a while before a shaking voice answered.

„H-hello?“

„This is deputy Emma Swan. Whom am I speaking with?“

„I’m not telling you my name. I’m not stupid!“

„Didn’t say you were. A nickname then?“

„Pan.“

Emma pinched the bridge of her nose, „Alright, Pan. People said that there were shots fired. Is someone injured?“

„The…the sh-sheriff. I didn’t mean to. It was an accident. He fired first.“

Emma closed her eyes and clenched her jaw. She had to stay calm.

„It’s okay, Pan. You understand that he needs to be treated, don’t you?“

„I’m not sure he can walk. And I’m not letting him go anyway.“

„What if we’d send someone in? Someone who knows first aid. A paramedic maybe?“

„You’re trying to trick me!“

„No, I don’t want to trick you. I want to help you. A swat team is on the way to the island and I don’t want anyone else to get hurt.“

„Fuck!“

„Pan, don’t do anything rash or stupid. You can still get out of this. You said you shot him by accident. So we can figure something out, but I need you to help me out here a little, okay?“, Emma tried.

„Who do you want to send in?“

„I’m coming in myself. I have a bit of knowledge in regards to first aid. Can I? No weapons. Just a first aid kit. I promise.“

„I’ll think about it.“

 

* * *

 

The young man had hung up after that and hadn’t made contact in almost 30 minutes. Emma was starting to worry because she could tell how overwhelmed by the situation he was.

Damn it!

Dorothy had received confirmation that a swat team was on the way and would arrive within the hour. Unfortunately, the weather was bad and a thunderstorm was coming and therefore a helicopter was out of the question and they had to come by boat, which would take a lot longer.

Emma’s mind was in overdrive and she felt completely wired when her cell finally rang.  
She almost jumped out of her skin.

„Hello?“

„You can come in. But just you. No tricks.“

And the line went dead again.

Dorothy looked at her worriedly, „Are you sure that’s a wise decision?“

„What else can we do? Graham is in there, wounded. And Regina. I mean the mayor. She has a son. We need to get them out and maybe we don’t have an hour till the swat team is here. That guy is two seconds away from a nervous breakdown.“

„Alright. I’ll get you a bulletproof vest.“

Emma nodded and searched for her pen.  
When she found it she scribbled something on a piece of paper and put it into her jeans pocket.

She put the vest on as soon as Dorothy handed it to her, „Thanks.“

„Good luck, Emma.“

Dorothy gave her the first aid kit and Emma dialled the bank again, „Pan, I’m coming in.“

 

 

* * *

 

It was bad.  
She could tell as soon as she entered the building.

Graham was on the floor, in a pool of blood, struggling to breathe. Regina was kneeling next to him, her hands pressed against the wound in his stomach. Or maybe wounds. Emma couldn't tell.

Regina's eyes went wide in disbelief and horror as soon as she spotted Emma, who tried to give her a reassuring smile.

„Pan, I assume?“, she addressed the young man carefully, „I’m deputy Emma Swan. We’ve talked.“

He nodded with a wary look on his face, pointed the gun at Graham, his hand shaking dangerously, „Help him!“

Emma put the first aid kit on the floor and raised her hands in surrender, "Why don’t you put the gun down? I’m no threat to you. You can check the kit if you want.“

Pan came closer and she opened the metal box to allow him a look at the contents.  
He was suspicious, Emma could tell. Probably even paranoid.  
And therefore unpredictable and dangerous.

She knelt down and got gauze and bandages out of the kit, pressing them to the wound, but she was well aware that it wouldn't help much. She had counted two bullet wounds and Graham was losing way too much blood.

She had to get Regina out of there.

The sooner the better.

„May I make a suggestion?“, she asked carefully.

„Suggest away, Sheriff“, he oozed confidence all of a sudden and it threw her for a loop. The fact that the gun was pointed at her head didn’t help either.

„Let her go“, Emma nodded towards Regina, „She is a mother. She has a little boy. And she doesn’t need to see this. She doesn’t need to be here. You’ve got me now. I’m the deputy. And you have the sheriff. That’s leverage enough.“

„How about no?“, he mocked, fiddling with the gun.

Emma saw Regina’s jaw work and she was well aware that Regina would never allow it either, but she had to figure something out. Regina couldn’t be here.  
This Pan was clearly unstable and Graham was a breath away from death.

„Listen. You aren’t from around here, are you? I am though. I grew up here.“

_Lie, Emma. Lie. He’s not familiar with the island. Use it to your advantage._

„Regina here…she’s the best friend of the mayor. Let her go. She could be your ticket out of here. If she stays in here the mayor will have the bank burned down to save her. They’ll order the swat team to shoot before you can blink. But if she’s out she might be able to help with negotiations and you’ll get out of here unharmed. And maybe even away. But you have to let her go.“

Regina looked at her in bewilderment and was about to say something, but Emma stared her down.  
 _Don’t you dare mess this up, Regina._

Pan seemed to consider it for a while and Graham groaned as Emma pressed some more gauze to his wound.

„We are like a family here on the island. Just let her go and let me help him. People will be more concerned with his safety than with your escape, believe me.“

Pan was quiet for agonisingly long minutes, but then he nodded, „Fine. She can go.“

Emma breathed out a sigh in relief and she took off her vest immediately, handing it to Regina, who shook her head vehemently.

„Put it on. Deputy order. No discussions“, Emma hissed and pushed the bulletproof vest into Regina’s chest.

Pan looked at them suspiciously once again, so Regina did as she was told and Emma squeezed her hand quickly, sneaking her the tiny piece of paper.

„Go. Before I change my mind“, Pan barked and Regina jumped, the gun pointed at her.

„Emma…“, Regina rasped out, her voice broken.

Emma nodded encouragingly towards the door,„Go. It will be okay."

 

* * *

 

Regina stepped out of the bank with her blood, Grahn's blood, covered hands up, following protocol, the piece of paper clutched in an iron grip.  
Dorothy pulled her away from the door and informed her that the swat team would arrive in a couple of minutes, but Regina only nodded numbly.

Meanwhile, Emma tried to help Graham breathe, but she knew it was to no avail.

The bullets must have hit his lungs or something else vitally important because he had started to cough blood and Emma was well aware that she wouldn’t be able to save him if they wouldn’t get out of there soon. And even then it might be too late for him.  
She held his hand while her other hand was pressed against his wounds, tears streaming down her face.

„He needs to go to the hospital“, she stated matter-of-factly.

„Not going to happen.“

„He’ll die if he won’t get treated soon. He needs surgery“, she insisted.

Pan growled, „You said you could help him.“

„I didn’t know it would be that bad.“

„It wasn’t my fault. I just wanted the money and that idiot fired at me. He took the first shot. I just defended myself!“, he yelled.

„Okay.“

 

* * *

 

Graham died only a few minutes later, causing Pan to start pacing like a caged animal.

„I’m not going to jail for this! He wasn’t supposed to be there! It was an accident. He tried to shoot me!“, he screeched, causing Emma to wince.

„Calm down, please.“

The young man glared at her in disbelief, „CALM DOWN?1 I shot the sheriff. He is dead!“

 

The situation was slowly spiralling out of control and Emma knew it.  
At least Regina was safe.  
That was all that mattered.

 

* * *

 

Yelling could be heard from the inside of the bank as the swat team arrived.  
Regina watched Dorothy, who explained the situation to a sniper and his commander for a moment, but then she stared back at the bloodied paper in her hands.

She hadn’t dared to unfold it yet, but she needed to know what it said.  
She had to know.  
Emma had given it to her for a reason, had she not?  
And so she opened it, at last, her breath catching in her throat instantly.

 

_'I love you, Regina.  
_ _Always have. Always will.'_

 

And then another shot was fired in the bank.


	10. A furious display of affection

She was in a hospital bed.  
And her left shoulder and chest were on fire.  
That were the first two things Emma registered when she managed to blink her eyes open.

Her memory was fuzzy, but she could remember a shot being fired and that awful pain when the bullet had hit her.  
And then her mind started flashing.

Graham.

Bank.

Regina.

Graham was dead, wasn’t he?

Regina.

Was Regina okay?

Pan.

Regina.

Pan’s shaking hand.

„It was an accident!“

Graham.

There was so much blood.

Regina.

Regina had to be okay.

 

„Emma, calm down.“  
Her mother’s voice. She must have been crying, „The doctor will be here soon.“

„Regina…“  
God, her throat was dry. Her voice had never been that raspy before.

Mary Margaret’s face appeared in her line of vision, tears streaming down her face, a small smile in place, „Regina is fine.“

She nodded and drifted off to sleep again.

 

* * *

 

The next time she woke up she stared right into the face of Doctor Whale and if she hadn’t been lying in a hospital bed she would have jumped.

„Welcome back to the land of the living, Miss Swan. You gave us quite the scare.“

„Is it bad?“, she asked automatically.

Whale gave her an encouraging smile, „Nothing a couple of weeks of rest and physical therapy couldn’t fix. But you’ve been extremely lucky. The bullet missed your heart only by an inch. This could have easily ended badly, I hope you know that.“

„Graham…“

„There was no saving him, Emma. Even if a doctor would have been present. Nobody could have saved him in that bank. His injuries were too severe. There was nothing we could have done for him. Not in time. He was doomed the moment he had gotten shot. I’m very sorry“, Doctor Whale explained, well aware that Emma most likely blamed herself.

”Pan?”, she cringed as she rasped out his name.

Doctor Whale gave her a sympathetic smile, “The SWAT team shot him. He is dead.”

All Emma could do was nod.

Whale told her to rest and left after checking her vitals, leaving Emma to her thoughts. And in the presence of her mother.

 

* * *

 

Emma had just finished her meagre dinner when the door to her room was pushed open with force and in stormed a furious Regina Mills, „You idiot! You complete fool! What the hell were you thinking? Pulling a stunt like this. You could have died! You almost did!“

„Regina…“

„I don’t care that you have some saviour complex or whatever it is you are suffering from, Emma Swan. If you don’t stop this recklessness of yours I’ll kill you myself. Do you hear me?!“

„Regina.“

But Regina just kept ranting, „First the mines, now this. What comes next? Running into burning buildings? Jumping from a skyscraper?“

„Regina!“, Emma managed to raise her voice her little.

„What?!“, the older woman barked out.

„Calm down. I’m fine“, Emma tried to assure her while her mother just watched them from the corner. Mary Margaret knew better than to get in the middle of this.

„YOU ARE NOT FINE!“, Regina yelled, „You are lying in hospital because you were shot by some lunatic!“

 

That said Regina stormed out off the room as fast as she had appeared, leaving a confused Emma and a completely startled Mary Margaret behind.  
But contrary to Emma her mother knew exactly what Regina’s behaviour meant. She had seen it in Regina’s eyes.  
Under layers and layers of fury was the fear.  
Regina had been scared for Emma. Because she cared because she loved her.  
And Mary Margaret decided right then and there that it was about time that Regina and she had a talk.

 


	11. Life is too short

Talking to Regina had proven to be more difficult than she had expected because her best friend hadn’t returned a single one of her calls or texts.  
So Regina was stubborn, but Mary Margaret wasn’t one to give up that easily.

She simply had called the mayor’s office and had requested an appointment, explaining to Mulan that it was urgent and a matter of importance.And that was how Mary Margaret found herself sitting in the mayor’s office two days later.

„What do you want, Mary Margaret? I’m busy.“

Mary Margaret took a deep breath. She wasn't necessarily brave and she was a harmony loving person, but she was well aware that this conversation would probably in a fight. But she was ready for that if that was what it took to make Regina see reason, „I want you to stop being a coward.“

„I beg your pardon? Is this about me yelling at Emma at the hospital? Don’t tell me you approve of her actions. It was reckless and stupid…“, Regina started to rant anew.

Mary Margaret nodded in agreement, „I know it was. But it’s who she is. It’s her job. And I can’t fault her for trying to protect the people she loves“.“

Regina paled, „People she loves? I don’t know what you’re talking about.“

„You can stop with the charade, Regina. I know. Emma told me“, Mary Margaret confessed. There was no point in talking in riddles or sugar coating anything.

Regina eyed her suspiciously, „She told you what exactly?“

„That she’s in love with you. That she’s been in love with you all along. That she kissed you. That there had been a time when she had thought that you loved her too. That she wasn’t so sure anymore now.“

„Snow…“

She rarely used Mary Margaret’s old nickname these days because their high school days were long over,„I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to. We won’t. I never meant for any of this to happen.“

Regina dropped her gaze and stared at her hands.

„Do you love her?“

„I…please, Snow. I swear I won’t do anything. I would never. You are my best friend and she’s your daughter“, Regina pleaded.

Mary Margaret's heart broke for Regina, who looked so defeated, „Not what I asked, Regina. Do you love her? Do you love Emma?“

 

She wasn't sure whether she would get an answer because Regina paled even further, but then she looked up to meet Mary Margaret's eyes, „Yes.“

Regina paused again before she admitted, „With everything that I am.“

Mary Margaret smiled, „Then why, Regina? Why put Emma through all of this? Why be alone and miserable when you could be happy and together?“

„What?“, Regina's eyes went wide. Surely she must have misunderstood. There was no way Mary Margaret was suggesting...

„Granted, I wasn’t amused when Emma initially told me“, Mary Margaret confessed, „I was in shock even. But the more time I had to think about it…I want you to be happy, Regina. Both of you. And if that means that you and Emma will be together then that’s okay. It will be weird, no doubt, but stranger things have happened. I would never stop being your friend because of that, Regina. Please tell me you know that.“

„I…“

„Regina, we’ve been through so much together. Nothing will ever tear us apart, you have to believe me. Emma loves you. I know she does. And if you are worried about other people…Emma is the island’s hero now. Everyone loves her. They won’t give you too much grief. And why would you worry to begin with? You never cared about what other people thought of you. Not since the days of Cora.“

Regina winced. The memory of her mother as painful as ever.

„Emma is under the impression that we are something like True love or whatever nonsense you taught her and we all know it’s only going to be temporary. I’m not getting any younger and eventually, she’ll…“

„Emma isn’t Daniel“, Mary Margaret defended her daughter.

„I know that!“, Regina snapped.

Mary Margaret tilted her head and studied her best friend for a moment, „Do you? Because the way I see it Emma would have died for you that day in the bank. What else could she possibly do to make you believe her? For you to actually believe that she honestly and truly loves you? Die for real?“

 

* * *

 

Mary Margaret’s words had shaken Regina to the core.

The thought of losing Emma was unbearable and now that she knew that her best friend handled the situation a lot better than she had feared the whole situation gave her pause.  
Was it possible after all? A future with Emma?

She wasn’t sure yet, but for the first time in all these years, it felt like it was within reach.

 

* * *

 

The next time Regina saw Emma was at Graham’s funeral three days later.

She had wanted to visit her at the hospital, but a nurse had told her that Emma had asked for privacy as she had struggled with the events of the robbery and she had wanted to do deal with them on her own.  
Regina had been in alarm, but Doctor Whale had assured her that Emma was talking to Archie Hopper and that she was well taken care of.

It hadn’t stopped the guilt from spreading in Regina’s chest, especially since she had outright yelled at Emma after seeing Graham die and getting shot. After she had come to her rescue.

God, she really was messed up, wasn’t she?

But she had been so scared when she had heard that shot fired, right after she had read the note Emma had given her.  
Scared out of her mind really. She had feared the worst and first and foremost - she hadn’t even understood why Emma had done what she had done.

Why she had given her that bulletproof vest. Yes, she had seen how unpredictable that Pan had been and how his hands had shaken. How he had constantly pointed the gun at things as if he would have been paranoid. Almost like a schizophrenic.  
Had Emma really thought he would possibly shoot her in the back as soon as she moved?  
The thought alone sent a chill down her spine still.

She watched Emma stand in front of the coffin, leaning against David for support.  
Dorothy and Will were right next to them, together with Mary Margaret and Regina gulped.

Graham had been her friend too.  
But he had been Emma’s mentor, the one who had helped her straighten out her life after…  
Well, yes, after she had abandoned her.  
Because even though it had been the right decision back in the day, to keep her distance, she was well aware how much it must have hurt Emma.  
She knew better than anyone how much Emma had struggled with abandonment issues after years and years of being abused and bounced around.  
And although she had handled the whole situation so poorly Emma had kept her word, had held on to her love for her.  
She had come back for her.

As the coffin slowly disappeared in the freshly dug out grave Regina couldn’t stop the tears from falling anymore.

Graham had been her friend. He had died in order to protect her.  
And Emma had gotten wounded doing the same.

Life was too short, wasn’t it?  
Too precious to waste it on being scared.

She watched as the people left, one by one, but Emma remained in front of the grave, watched as shovel after shovel of soil fell onto the coffin.

„Make sure she gets to Granny’s alright, please.“

Mary Margaret was next to her all of a sudden and squeezed her shoulder, looking back and forth between her and Emma and all Regina could do was nod.

 

When everyone else had left Regina made her way over to Emma and recognised that she was crying.  
She didn’t know what to say or do for that matter, but Emma beat her to it anyway.

„We need a new sheriff.“

It was the last thing Regina would have expected.

„But there is just one Graham out there. Was. What am I supposed to do without him?“, Emma turned around and met Regina’s gaze, „We need him. I need him.“

Before Regina could think better of it she pulled Emma into a hug, careful not to hurt her as the blonde was still healing, „Come to the office next week. Then we’ll talk. It can wait till then. For now, you need to make sure that you’ll get better, okay?“

Emma held on to her for dear life and nodded against her shoulder, „Okay.“

 

* * *

 

The next couple of days Regina was busy because the robbery had brought more tourists, much to her annoyance. How people always tried to milk tragedies like that was beyond her.  
Henry had been extra fussy as well because she was working so much lately and therefore she hadn’t seen Emma at all.

But first thing Monday morning Emma Swan appeared in her office with two cups of coffee from Granny’s and a shy smile on her face.

She gestured for Emma to take a seat, „Graham wanted you to take over as sheriff in case he retired or…“

Emma’s eyes went wide as saucers, „I can’t. I’m not…“

„Before you say anything else, Emma. Graham has always believed in you and the morning of the robbery…I was walking down Mifflin to go to the bank. I bumped into him on his way to work and we walked together. We talked about you. How proud he was of you. And that you had accomplished so much with Nox and that you would make a fine sheriff one day.“

Emma wanted to interrupt, but Regina held up her hand „I know, I know. Surely he didn’t think it would happen so soon, but it’s what he would have wanted. The council is in favour as you are the local hero now and although there has to be a vote I dare say it’s only going to be a formality. Graham believed in you. The people here believe in you.“

When Emma didn’t say anything she added, „I believe in you.“

A single tear made its way down Emma’s cheek.

„I know it’s going to be hard. And an adjustment. But the sheriff’s job is yours, Emma. It has your name on it. You’ve proven, even when Henry was missing, that you are capable. You can lead. You think fast. You have the right instincts. At least consider it, please.“

Emma nodded, „Okay.“

Regina could tell she was overwhelmed and so it was no surprised when Emma got up a minute later, pointing towards the door, „I…uh…gotta go.“

„Of course.“

Emma already had the doorknob in hand when Regina cleared her throat, „Would you like to come over for dinner on Friday?“

„Yeah, sure. Dinner would be nice“, Emma mumbled without turning around.

And then she left.

 

* * *

 

The week went by in a blur and Regina was fed up.  
Emma had been on sick leave, so she had to deal with Will and Dorothy all week.  
They were great deputies, but they were lacking when it came to organisation and neither of them had what was needed to take charge.  
Unlike Emma.

She knew it was a lot to ask, especially so soon, but she prayed that Emma would step up to the task or they would have to request a new sheriff from the mainland. It would be trouble enough to find another deputy.

On top of it all Ashley had cancelled on her because she had caught the summer flu apparently and so Henry was playing in the living room while she tried to fix dinner, but she kept getting distracted.

She had spilt the wine she had planned on serving with dinner all over her shirt and that was why she was currently in yoga pants and a tunic, her hair a mess and her make up could need touching up as well.  
If she would burn the food she would call it quits.

And she had to hurry too because Emma would be here in a few minutes and she looked less than presentable.

She was about to head upstairs when Henry came tumbling into the kitchen, telling her that she had to come and watch 'Spongebob' with him and although she really had no time for that she didn’t dare say no.She hadn’t spent nearly enough time with her son for weeks on end and she felt terribly guilty.

Five minutes.  
Then she really had to go get changed.

But of course Henry distracted her with his chatter and then the doorbell rang - to Regina’s absolute horror.

She stormed into the foyer, tried frantically to fix her hair only to make it worse and pulled the door open to a smiling Emma, who held a beautiful bouquet of flowers in her hands.

„I’m so sorry. I know I look like a mess, but the nanny is sick and Henry…“, Regina tried to apologize.

„You look beautiful“, Emma stated instantly and handed her the flowers and pulled a plush German Shepherd out from under her jacket, „And why would you have needed the nanny? We are just having dinner. It's not like we are going on a spa vacation. I’m glad Henry is home. Can I go say hi?“

Regina was truly surprised by Emma’s reaction, but nodded, „Of course. I’ll put those in some water. Thank you, they are lovely.“

 


	12. Cards on the table

To Regina’s dismay, the food hadn't turned out as well as it could have either.  
It wasn’t bad by any means, but the dishes had tasted better in the past. She must have forgotten some of the spices because it all tasted a little bland.

So not only did she look a mess, no. She had also screwed up dinner. And Henry couldn’t stop babbling.

What was supposed to be a lovely date had turned out to be a bit of a disaster, but it didn’t matter anyway as Emma seemed to be completely oblivious in regards to her intentions and that definitely was for the better.

The only thing that kept Regina from crying at this point was the interaction between Emma and her son, who seemed quite smitten with the island’s new sheriff. And Emma didn’t mind being around Henry either from what Regina could tell.

Maybe Emma was their future after all?

Of course, Henry started to make a fuss as soon as he heard the word ‚bedtime‘ because he wanted to stay awake while Emma was around and it needed a joint effort to tuck him in. By the time he was finally asleep Regina wanted to crawl into a hole and hide. She was exhausted and frustrated and she was also afraid that she had finally managed to scare Emma away because clearly, Emma had realised by now that she wasn’t half as perfect as Emma had made her out to be all this time.

Once they returned to the living room Regina simply let herself fall onto the couch with a defeated sigh, half expecting Emma to say goodnight and run for the hills.

To her big surprise, Emma sat down next to her though, „What’s wrong?“

„Nothing“, Regina took a deep breath before she admitted, „Everything.“

Emma gave her an encouraging smile in an attempt to encourage Regina to explain herself, „You look disappointed and I can’t figure out why. You did all evening. Ever since I arrived actually. Should I go? Because I thought we had a nice evening. Well, apparently only I did, but you haven’t?“

Regina shook her head, „That’s not it.“

„Then what is it?“

When no answer came Emma turned to properly look at her, „Regina? Talk to me…“

Regina hadn’t meant to bring the topic of the bank incident up tonight, but now that Emma’s sparkling green eyes were directed at her she couldn’t help herself, „You almost died!“

Emma frowned, apparently not expecting this conversation either, „But I didn’t. I’m right here.“

She was well aware that it would be better to let it go, at least for now, but Regina kept pushing anyway, „What you did was reckless!“

„Are you still mad at me for trying to protect you? You can’t be serious, Regina. Henry needs you!“, Emma stated the obvious.

„He needs us both!“

The words were out of her mouth before she even realised what she was saying and Regina’s eyes went wide in horror once it dawned on her what she had just revealed.

Emma got up and took a step backwards to get a proper look at Regina. Confusion was written all over her face, „Whoa. What’s this really about?“

Regina got up as well and pinched the bridge of her nose. She started pacing while her words came out mumbled, „Damn you, Snow!“

Emma watched Regina pace like a caged animal, her irritation only growing, „What has my mother got to do with any of this?“

A heavy sigh was Regina’s instant reply before she cleared her throat, „She came to see me a couple of days ago.“

Emma looked even more confused although Regina hadn’t thought it possible, „She did? Why?“

Regina finally stopped pacing, but she turned her back to Emma because she couldn’t look her in the eye, „To tell me that I’m a coward for choosing to be alone and miserable. When we could be happy. And together.“

She could tell, even without seeing Emma, that the blonde must have paled considerably and she cursed herself for spilling the beans. She shouldn’t have said anything.

„What?! Regina, I swear“, Emma hated how panicked she sounded, „I never meant to tell her. I was so drunk that one night and so broken. I’ve been so broken for so long and I just…I couldn’t keep it in anymore. I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have…“

Regina couldn’t bear to hear Emma blame herself any longer. She had been selfish for so many years, not even considering how hard it must have been for a sixteen-year-old girl, who had been abandoned all her life, to be tossed aside by the person she had fallen in love with as well. The person she had trusted the most. Of course, they had to stay away from one another back then, but she hadn’t handled the situation well. Truth be told she hadn’t handled it much better this time around either.

„She’s right“, Regina took a deep breath and turned around to face Emma at last, who looked at her in utter disbelief, „Your mother is right. I chose miserable when I stayed with Daniel although I didn’t love him anymore. But I was scared of what I felt for you and there would have been no way for us to be together anyway. Not then. And I chose miserable by pushing you away completely although I loved you.“

She watched Emma struggle for words because clearly, the blonde wanted to say something, but apparently, words failed her at that moment so Regina continued.

„I chose miserable when you came back, hoping for the chance we never had before. Because I’m still scared. But I love you, Emma. And you almost died.“

„I…"

Regina gestured for Emma to let her continue before she lost her nerve, „I’m almost forty and a single mom, Emma. And if I were to let you into my life I wouldn’t want something casual. I want something real. Someone I can lean on. Because I’ve had to be strong for so long. Yes, I had your parents, but it’s not the same. I want to be with someone who can be there for Henry too because Daniel walked out on him already. And you are so…“

„Reckless“, Emma replied and it finally dawned on her what Regina had meant.

„I get it, Regina. You were scared. Hell, I was scared and I was trained for situations like that. I know you think what I did was stupid, but I’ll always protect my family.“

Regina’s eyes grew comically wide, „Y-your family?“

Emma couldn’t help, but smile, „You’ve always been family to me, Regina. And now the little man is too.“

„I know you’re the sheriff now, but you need to be more careful, Emma.“

Emma nodded in reply, her eyes showing that her answer was earnest, „I know.“

Tears started to well in Regina’s eyes and she chuckled bitterly, „God, I’m such a mess. First, the nanny got sick, then Henry ruined my clothes. My hair, my make up. Everything went down the drain today, even the food. And now I’m crying too.“

Emma took a careful step closer to her, „I don’t care. Henry is your son and he’s adorable. So he was home. That’s perfectly fine. And you are beautiful, Regina.“

When Regina scoffed at the comment Emma shook her head, signalling that she wasn’t done yet.

„Do you look nice when you’re all dolled up? Absolutely. You look stunning. There’s no denying that. But you’re also wearing a mask and you don’t need to do that around me. I want you for you, Regina. I always have. I’m not Daniel. I’m just me. Emma Swan. I’m older and more grown up now, but I’m still the same book nerd that I was back then. I still love to sit at the docks to watch the waves and just be. I still prefer hot chocolate with cinnamon over coffee. I still eat cereal at all times of day because I’m too lazy to cook. I don’t want casual either. I had that in Boston. A one night stand here and there. It never went further than that because there was no point in dating when all I ever wanted was to be with you. And that hasn’t changed. I still want that, Regina.“

Emma took another step closer when Regina blurted out, „I don’t want more children.“

A bright smile appeared on Emma’s face, „Fine with me. No one could trump Henry anyway. Mom hasn’t been lying when she said he’s the most adorable kid ever. He’s enough. You are enough.“

„The people on the island won’t…“  
Regina tried again, but Emma ignored the comment and took another step closer, entering Regina’s personal space at last.

She put her index finger to Regina’s lips gently, but it was enough to make Regina fall silent.

Emma’s smile widened even more, „Are we done with the excuses? Because I don’t care if they’ll approve or not. I know you are scared, Regina, but there’s no need. I won’t change my mind because someone might not like the idea of us being together. I love you, Regina. More than you could ever imagine.“

A single tear made its way down Regina’s cheek and Emma wiped it away carefully before she shuffled even closer, their eyes locked, their noses almost touching.

She took Regina’s face in her hands, her voice barely a whisper, „I’m going to kiss you now.“

All Regina could do was nod while her arms found their way around Emma’s waist and then they both leaned in.

 

It was only a single kiss.  
Sweet and gentle.  
Soft and featherlight and yet it made both their hearts dance to a new beat.

 

It was a promise of love and a future.  
Honest and real and true.  
And while it was only the beginning it also was everything.


	13. Surprises all around

Emma and Regina spent most of their free time together the next couple of weeks because the evening with the dinner gone „wrong“ had been the turning point in their relationship.

They met for lunch at Granny’s almost every day, they took Henry and Nox for walks and to the park. Emma was over in the evenings she wasn’t working for dinner, a movie and, of course, playtime with Henry.

Regina had told her that night that she needed things to go slow because she wanted to build something real with Emma and there had been no objections on Emma’s part.

While she was dying to make love to Regina after all these years Emma was in no hurry and she knew that Regina was still struggling with the age gap; mostly.  
But she also knew that Regina was trying and had even gone to talk to Archie Hopper, the local therapist, to get a handle on her fears.

After a couple of weeks, Regina even asked Emma to stay the night, which came as a complete surprise to the sheriff, but she simply revelled in the fact that Regina was coming around to the idea of them as a couple.  
They kissed and made out like teenagers at times and the rest would fall into place eventually.

Much to Regina’s relief there was barely any gossip because nobody saw anything wrong with the sheriff and the mayor communicating, especially since most of the inhabitants of the island knew that they went way back and had been friends since forever.

Sure, there were a few whispers here and there about why they spent so much time together, but most rumours were instantly silenced when someone pointed out the bank robbery and that surely they tried to deal with it together.

Emma eventually hired August Booth, who had been her best friend in high school, as a new deputy for lack of other options, but he did surprisingly well and it allowed her to get a full weekend off for a change.

She smiled in triumph when she left the station that day because she had a surprise for Regina, but she needed her parents’ help for that.

So she invited Mary Margaret to lunch and although she hadn’t confirmed a shift in hers and Regina’s relationship Emma could tell that her mother knew as soon as she started rambling about how she needed someone to look after Nox for the weekend.

Mary Margaret only took her hand and squeezed it gently, „I am happy for you, Emma. For both of you.“

„Thanks, Mom.“

„It’s going to be a bit awkward“, Mary Margaret smiled anyway.

Emma chuckled, „It will be. Regina will probably hide in the bathroom the first time you’ll invite her to family dinner.“

Mary Margaret laughed out loud, „Probably. Not sure your father can pull off a real ‚If you hurt my little girl‘ speech either considering that he is more scared of Regina than the other way round.“

Emma joined her mother in laughter, but sobered up quickly, „Do you think he’ll mind?“

„I don’t know how he’ll react, Emma. But we’ll deal with it together. It might take him a while, but he’ll come around. That much I know. You know David…he is the kindest and most patient man I know. That’s what I love about him the most“, Mary Margaret replied sincerely and with a faith in her husband that Emma currently couldn’t share. At least not completely.

„Okay.“

She filled her mother in on her plans then and to Emma’s big surprise Mary Margaret offered to take not only Nox but also Henry, which left Emma conflicted because she didn’t want to decide that without Regina and she contemplated how she could possibly sell the idea to her girlfriend.

Mary Margaret simply rolled her eyes and called Regina herself, asking for some godmother - godson bonding time, which Regina agreed to without hesitation. Emma shouted into the phone that Regina should pack a bag for the weekend, hugged her mother and ran off to pack her own, much to Mary Margaret’s amusement.

 

* * *

 

Emma might not have said anything, but Regina knew that Mary Margaret was aware of their relationship.  
She just knew.  
And while Mary Margaret seemed to be fine with it it did nothing for Regina’s anxiety.

She knocked on the Nolans front door with a shaking hand, her other one holding Henry’s and came face to face with a smiling Mary Margaret.

She was scared out of her mind if she was honest, not that she would ever admit that. While Regina still debated how to greet her best friend because this had to be the most awkward situation she had been in Mary Margaret took a step forward and pulled Regina into a hug, „It’s good to see you. I’ve missed you the last couple of weeks.“

Regina blushed guiltily because Mary Margaret was right. She had spent most of her time with Emma and hadn’t found the time to meet her best friend which was completely unusual for them, „I-I’m sorry. I…“

The pixie-haired woman pulled back and gave her a genuine smile, „Don’t worry about it. It’s fine. I’m happy for you, Regina. Really. For the both of you.

Regina took a deep breath before a small smile appeared on her face, „Thank you. I promise we’ll have lunch next week. I missed talking to you.“

Mary Margaret nodded in agreement, „Me too. You look lovely by the way.“

It was then that Henry made his presence known because he simply didn’t understand why nobody paid attention to him, causing both women to laugh. Mary Margaret picked him up and held him securely against her hip, „I heard rumours that David and Emma are building a pillow fort in the living room.“

„Yay!“

Regina smiled at her best friend gratefully and she was about to thank her again when Emma appeared in the doorway, a blinding smile on her face, duffle bag hanging off her shoulder, „Ready to go, Miss Mills?“

She nodded and linked her arm with Emma’s, „As ready as I’ll ever be.“

 

* * *

 

Henry was inspecting the pillow fort together with Nox when Mary Margaret returned to the living room after watching Emma and Regina leave.  
She felt a strange feeling of contentment as if the world would finally be right and it probably was when David’s statement gave her a bit of a reality check.

„Emma sure has grown up.“

„And you only realise that now? Do I need to be worried?“, she grinned at her husband in amusement.

David laughed, „No, I know. I mean…it just hit me.“

Mary Margaret eyed him curiously, „What exactly?“

„We are babysitting Henry so Regina and Emma can go on a date“, David stated as if it would be the most obvious thing in the world.

His wife hesitated for a moment, „I know it’s awkward…“

David shrugged, „Well yeah. I mean surely Emma has dated before, but she wasn’t here then. We didn’t have to face that reality before. And I know they’ve always been close, but Regina and Emma going on a double date. Talk about weird. I didn’t even know that Regina was seeing someone.“

Mary Margaret couldn’t help, but to laugh out loud. This whole situation was simply too bizarre.

„They are not going on a double date.“

„No? Then why were they both so nervous? Don’t tell me they behaved like teenagers because they went to the movies together“, David looked at his wife expectantly. He had only caught a few glimpses at Emma and Regina out of the corner of this eye, but it had been ridiculous.

„They are going to Boston. And they are dating, David. Emma and Regina are dating. Each other.“

„Oh. Okay“, he shrugged again, but tensed a moment later when Mary Margaret’s words had sunken in fully, „Wait…what?“

„You might want to take a seat, honey“, Mary Margaret gestured to the couch and watched her husband follow her instructions robotically, „It’s been a long time coming, apparently.“

„How long?“

She sighed, „A long time. But don’t worry. Nothing ever happened up until now. I know it’s weird and it took me some time getting used to as well, but Emma loves Regina.“

David nodded dumbly, „Does…does Regina love her too?“

„Yes.“

There was no doubt in Mary Margaret’s voice, just conviction.

They sat in silence for a while before David nodded, „Alright then. It is awkward, I agree. But it’s not that we could stop them. I mean…“

„Regina had a very hard time accepting it as well from what I understand. She thought we’d hate her, that we’d abandon her“, Mary Margaret admitted with a heavy heart.

David looked at her in bewilderment, „Is she crazy? Why would she think that? I mean as I said. It’s going to be awkward for a while, but I know you’d never give up on her. And granted, Emma and Regina always had a very special bond. Back in the day, I thought it would be unbreakable, but then they barely talked anymore. It makes sense now I guess. But when you consider what has happened since Emma has returned and how close they are again...it has to be an unbreakable bond, doesn’t it?“

„I think so“, Mary Margaret agreed.

„Well, if they love one another they should be together. And happy. Who are we to judge? If things would have gone to plan, according to our parents, we wouldn’t even be in the same place and yet here we are. And granted, Emma could have done worse because Regina loves with every fibre of her being and with a passion that is truly unmatched. Needless to say, Regina is just as lucky.“

Mary Margaret sat down next to her husband and kissed him on the cheek, „And that’s why I married you instead of your brother. You are the kindest man I know. I love you.“


	14. Perfect scars

 Ruby was there to pick them up from the ferry and Emma hugged her for a full two minutes before she finally let go. She had missed the woman she considered her sister more than she had realised.

Regina was staring out of the window the whole drive to Boston because she hadn’t left the island in forever and she made a mental note to take Henry somewhere soon. She was in the backseat of Ruby’s red Camaro by herself while Emma sat in the passenger seat and caught up with the leggy brunette about life in Boston, stealing glances at Regina every other minute though.

Regina hadn’t seen Ruby in forever, but then again they never had been that close. Emma and Ruby were a different story though. Emma hadn’t been kidding when she had told her that she and Ruby were thick as thieves these days and Regina was relieved to see that Emma had not been alone during her years in Boston.

She had always been worried about Emma but had never found the courage to reach out.

To her big surprise, Ruby didn’t drive them to her apartment, but to a nice looking hotel and Regina eyed Emma in confusion.

Ruby chuckled and raised her eyebrow at Regina in challenge, „What? You’d rather spend your weekend with your girlfriend with me in the next room?“

She was so baffled that she didn’t know what to say and if the shocked expression on Emma’s face was anything to go by Ruby had caught both of them off guard.

„You…you know?“, Emma managed to say after the first shock had worn off.

Ruby laughed out loud, „Of course I know. I’ve known all along.“

„What?!“, Regina grit out in irritation.

The leggy brunette shrugged carelessly, „What? The only picture on her nightstand has always been a photograph of you, Regina. You know the one from the docks. Where your focus was on the water. Your hair was blowing in the wind and you weren’t wearing any makeup. You were wearing that ugly grey jumper that Mary Margaret gave you for Christmas this one year. I think she even knitted it herself.“

„I remember“, Regina whispered.

That had been before her world had been turned upside down. Before a single kiss had changed her life and everything she had believed in. It had been a lovely, but chilly spring day and she had fought with Daniel. About what she couldn’t remember. She had taken a walk to the docks and she had found Emma sitting on ‚their‘ bench, lost in thought. She had felt like crying, but then Emma had smiled at her and they had spent hours talking and Emma had made a complete fool out of herself to cheer her up. It had been the day she had realised that her marriage to Daniel probably wouldn’t last. There had been a time when that thought had scared her, but at that moment it hadn’t because Emma had been there with her and it had dawned on her that nobody understood her quite like a blonde teenage girl who had come into her life totally unexpected. A girl who had wormed her way into her life and heart without her noticing and that with Emma by her side it would be alright. There had been no romantic feelings then, but there had always been a very special bond between them. From the very beginning.

„Yeah“, Ruby grinned, „It was on her bedside table all the freaking time and on the few occasions she went out with someone she came back drunk. And she cried in her room, always staring at that picture as if she would have cheated on you.“

Emma couldn’t look at Ruby, but she couldn’t look at Regina either, so she stared at her shoes because that was exactly how she had felt, „Why didn’t you say anything?“

Ruby shrugged, „Because clearly if you would have wanted me to know you would have told me. I’m well aware that it was a complicated situation back then, but it isn’t now, is it? Or at least it doesn’t have to be.“

„It’s…“, Regina didn’t know what to say.

Emma walked over to her and squeezed her hand, „It’s still a little bit complicated, but we’re good. And we’ll figure out the rest.“

A wolfish grin appeared on Ruby’s face, „Great. So, now that you have found your happy ending you could help me find mine? Because everyone I’ve met lately was a complete bust.“

Emma laughed out loud, „I’m not playing Cupid. Especially since you are so hellbent on staying away from the island.“

Ruby tilted her head curiously, „What does that have to do with anything?“

„For one…you gave me such a hard time for going back when you knew all along why I had to, obviously. And second. The only person that comes to my mind is living on said island and you are not allowed to bribe her away from there“, Emma smirked.

Ruby and Regina eyed her in confusion.

„Dorothy. I’m talking about Dorothy. My deputy“, Emma explained nonchalantly.

Regina’s expression turned to one of disbelief, „Dorothy has a crush on Ruby?“

„Yup. I showed her some pics from my time in Boston and she’s been blushing like a teenager“, Emma sing-songed.

„And what makes you think that has anything to do with me?“, Ruby wanted to know, „Maybe she is into you?“

She regretted her words as soon as she saw Regina’s mood darken, but Emma shook her head and locked eyes with Regina, „She isn’t. I swear. Because I keep showing her the pics Ruby sends me almost every day and I’m not in them.“

„What?“, Ruby screeched, „Emma, I look like a dork in most of them.“

A smug smile appeared on Emma’s face, „Exactly my point. Because she still blushes although you look like an idiot.“

Then she focused on Regina again, „Besides. Even if she were into me, which she really isn’t, she wouldn’t stand a chance. You know that, right?“

Regina hesitated for a moment, but nodded in the end, „I know. It’s not that I don’t trust you, Emma. It’s just. I still don’t understand why. Why me?“

„Because I choose you, Regina. That’s why. It’s my choice and nobody gets to take that away from me“, Emma stated sincerely.

Ruby smiled at them, but ultimately cleared her throat, „Can we get back to Dorothy, please? You can make heart eyes at each other once I’m back at my apartment.“

Emma chuckled, „As I said. She is my deputy. You can’t have her because she’s not leaving the island. Period. She’s good people though. So in case you ever wanted to come and visit…“

„I’ll think about it.“

 

* * *

 

They had agreed to meet and have breakfast together on Sunday before Ruby would drive them back up the coast to where the ferry left for Storybrooke Island before they had parted ways - Ruby to return to her apartment and Emma and Regina to check-in at their hotel.

Now that they were in their room Regina grew anxious.

What would happen this weekend?

Surely Emma would want to have sex with her now that they didn’t have to worry about interruptions from Henry. She just wasn’t sure she was ready for that.

She was so in love with Emma, she had been for such a long time if she was really honest with herself, but she was also scared. All her fears, while Emma had helped her a great deal to make them slowly fade away, were still lurking in the shadows, waiting to come back and haunt her once again.

Daniel had done much more of a number on her than she had realised and the age gap between her and Emma hadn’t miraculously disappeared either.

„Do you want to go out for dinner or should we order room service? Personally, I could do with an evening on the couch and a movie.“

Emma’s voice almost made her jump. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn’t even realised that Emma had put all their luggage away.

„Room service sounds fine“, Regina rasped out, her mind racing a mile a minute. Should she insist that they go out? She was panicking and she knew it.

„Why don’t you go take a shower in that fancy bathroom while I order food“, Emma suggested with a kind smile and Regina only managed to nod robotically.

She wanted to dash off into said bathroom and lock the door, lock herself away, but she managed to stay calm, collect her toiletries, a change of clothes and headed into the bathroom as if nothing would be amiss.  
Ever the politician. She was too good at pretending.  
Then again nothing was really wrong, was there?

She took a deep and somewhat calming breath, stripped down and stepped into the shower before she would drive herself crazy.

Regina was well aware that she had to find the courage to talk to Emma because Emma would understand. She was sure of it.

Emma was the kindest soul she had ever met and they had come so far, not without some heavy bumps in the road, but they had made it here and she had come to understand that communication was what had brought them to where they were now. Every time she had stopped talking had been when their problems had started.

But first, she would take that shower in hopes that it would work a bit of a wonder on her nerves.

 

* * *

 

Regina had just wrapped a big, white fluffy towel around her body when there was a knock on the bathroom door and she instantly tensed.

 

„Yes?“  
She sounded so unsure and she hated it.

 

Emma poked her head in with a smile, „Dinner will be here in about forty-five minutes. So you should have enough time to dry your hair and whatever else it is that you are doing that makes you look fabulous.“

Regina closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She meant to have that conversation with Emma after dinner, but she might as well do it now.

The blonde was about to close the door again and Regina counted to three in her head. Was she even ready to have this conversation?

Probably not.

„Emma, wait.“

„Can I come in?“, Emma asked, slightly worried.

„Yes.“

Regina eyed Emma’s every move as the blonde entered the bathroom and carefully sat down on the edge of the tub while Regina leaned her back against the sink. She needed something to keep her steady so Emma wouldn’t realise how unsettled she was.

To her dismay, her hands were shaking pretty badly and she could tell that Emma had noticed it too.

„Is something wrong?“, Emma asked, worry now written all over her face.

„No. Nothing is wrong. Not exactly“, Regina stated, her focus on her trembling hands.

„Regina“, Emma got up and made the few steps over to her visibly struggling girlfriend. She held out her hands and waited patiently until Regina placed her shaking ones into them before she intertwined their fingers gently. A soft squeeze was all it needed for Regina to lock eyes with her.

„We won’t do anything you don’t want. Or aren’t ready for. In case you are worried about my expectations in regards to this weekend. Okay?“

Regina let out the breath she hadn’t even been aware of holding and some of the insane tension she felt left her shoulders, „It’s not that I don’t want to, Emma. It’s…“

Emma let go of her left hand and brushed a strand of wet hair out of her face, „What’s going on in this beautiful brain of yours, Regina? You can tell me. I know something is bothering you.“

For a while neither of them said anything.

Until Regina found her courage at last, „Last time you saw me in a bikini I was in way better shape than I am now. I was younger. I hadn’t been pregnant yet. You are…you’re so…your body is…and I’m. I have stretch marks and my…“

Before Regina could continue to ramble Emma put her index finger against her lips, successfully silencing her, a smile on her lips, „That’s what this is about? Your stretch marks?“

Regina had to look away, irritated by what seemed to be amusement on Emma’s face.

„Don’t do that, Regina. Don’t look away from me. There’s really no need to be ashamed or embarrassed“, Emma assured, her smile never leaving her face. Not because she found the situation funny, but because she was relieved that it wasn’t anything more serious.

When Regina didn’t react she squeezed the hand she was still holding again, „Regina, please. Look at me.“

She did as Emma asked her to, albeit hesitantly, and Regina was taken aback by the sincerity in Emma’s eyes.

„It broke my heart when Daniel announced your pregnancy. Not because I hated the baby or you. I could never hate you. But because I knew right then that there was no way that you would leave him. I had barely seen you for two years, but I had thought after I turned eighteen after I graduated, things could be different between us. Naive, I know. I hadn’t even considered the law in all of this. Hadn’t even thought about whether you could still get in trouble for any of this. All I knew was that I loved you and well. We know how that ended. I was a mess after I left the island and Ruby had her work cut out for her for a long while, but she never once complained. I worked hard, I studied hard and that was going well, but it was about the only thing. And then mom called and told us about Henry. That you had given birth to a beautiful baby boy and I loved him right then. Because he was, because he is, a part of you. I might not be mom material, but I do love him as if he would be my own, Regina. I might not have been around for that long, but he means the world to me because he is your son. And because he’s such a precious boy. I am aware that everyone’s body changes over the years, okay? You’ve changed since I left the island, but you’re still so very beautiful. If not more so. You probably don’t believe me, but it’s the truth. I love you, Regina. With everything I am. And a few stretch marks aren’t going to change that. They won’t chase me away. They are a testament to your accomplishment in life. They are part of you and they link you to your son, whom I love. Okay?“

Silent tears were streaming down Regina’s face. Emma had managed to render her speechless once again, which left her nodding her understanding.

Daniel had complained so much when she hadn't lost the extra weight after Henry's birth fast enough. He hadn't been keen on touching her again, even once she had managed to lose said weight. He hadn't liked her breasts anymore because they hadn't been as firm as they used to be. They weren't to this day. She had even considered plastic surgery at some point, but then he had left her anyway.

Emma pulled her into a hug and kissed her temple softly, „I’m not going to leave you, Regina. I’ll stay as long as you’ll have me. And I’ll probably even stay around once you’re tired of me. I’m like a boomerang. I’ll always come back for you.“

Regina smiled, „You said that back then. The day of your graduation. That one day you’d come back for me.“

„And I did“, Emma stated matter-of-factly.

„Yes, you did. And here we are.“

Emma pecked her lips, „Here we are indeed. And you better get dressed and dry your hair before dinner is here.“

 

* * *

 

Once Emma had left the bathroom Regina put on her panties, wrapped herself in one of the fluffy bathrobes from the hotel and quickly blowdried her hair before she walked back into their spacious room and sat down on the couch.

Emma was sitting in the comfortable armchair opposite from her, wearing her glasses, nose in a book.

Some things really didn’t change.

„I’d like to talk some more after dinner. Or more like…I’d like to show you something“, Emma said and looked up and straight at Regina, „Nothing bad, I promise.“

„Okay.“

 

* * *

 

„Do you mind if I take a quick shower before we continue our conversation?“, Emma asked once she had swallowed the last bite of her food.

„Of course not“, Regina smiled, „Go ahead.“

Emma kissed her on the cheek and dashed off at lightning speed, causing Regina to chuckle. Emma could be such a child and yet she was wise beyond her years. That was what had drawn her in from the start, but never in her life would she have thought that it would lead them here when she had first met Emma.

 

 

* * *

 

When Emma returned from the bathroom about twenty minutes later Regina was sitting in their bed, propped up against the headboard while she talked to Mary Margaret on the phone. She had just called to check in and see how Henry was doing. Thankfully he had gone to bed without a hitch.

Emma’s hair was still damp and she was wearing boxer shorts and a tank top while Regina was still in her robe. She would put on her pyjamas later.

She said her goodbyes to her best friend when Emma sat down on the edge of the bed, seemingly nervous and Regina wondered what had brought this on because her girlfriend had been so calm earlier.

„How’s Henry?“, Emma asked while she fidgeted with the hem of her tank top.

„On his best behaviour apparently and sleeping like an angel“, Regina chuckled, „Your mother’s words.“

„Good. That’s good“, Emma took a deep breath, „I want to show you something. And I want you to stay calm. I’m not hinting at anything, but I’m going to take my shirt off. Is that…is that okay?“

Regina felt her body tense slightly, but she nodded anyway. She trusted Emma and she knew there had to be a reason for the request.

She watched as Emma got up from the bed and pulled the tank top over her head, revealing her naked upper body. Her breath hitched as she studied the toned body and Emma’s firm breasts because Emma truly was a beautiful woman. And then she caught sight of the scar the bullet had left above Emma’s heart. The bullet that had almost taken Emma away from her and she had to choke down a sob.

But then Emma pulled her shorts down, only a few inches so they sat low on her hips and turned sideways to show her right side to Regina, who’s eyes went wide.

There was a nasty scar at Emma’s ribcage and an even nastier one right above her hipbone.

Emma smiled awkwardly, „I’m far from perfect as you can see.“

Regina held out her hand and Emma walked back to the bed, took her hand and sat down next to her.

„What…what happened?“, Regina rasped out.

 

„Happened during my time with the Boston PD. I was chasing down a robbery suspect with my partner. He was supposed to be alone, but there were two of them. Ran into a knife“, Emma explained calmly while she watched Regina tense.

„You got stabbed?! Why didn’t I know about this? Mary Margaret tells me everything!“

Emma squeezed Regina’s hand, „Because she doesn’t know. I had Ruby set up as my emergency contact and I told her not to call mom and dad. It wasn’t serious. I only was in the hospital for three days.“

„Three days?! Not serious?!“

„Regina, please calm down. I didn’t show you to upset you. I’m merely letting you know I’m nowhere near flawless. I might be a couple of years younger then you and I might not have stretch marks, but I’ve got scars. And they aren’t pretty“, Emma tried to explain.

Regina was having none of it, „You are perfect the way you are. Maybe not to the world, but to me you are.“

A bright smile appeared on Emma’s face, „We are perfect for each other. It’s time you started to believe that.“

Regina couldn’t help, but smile as well, „I love you.“

When Emma reached for her shirt Regina shook her head and started to untie her robe instead. She gestured for Emma to get into bed and once they were both under the cover she let Emma pull her into her side.

Regina wrapped her own arm over Emma’s waist and her head was resting on Emma’s naked chest where she could hear a strong heartbeat.

She could have lost Emma and not just once. She could have also lost Emma because she had treated her horribly. Because she had pushed her away so many times.

And yet Emma was still here; and yet Emma still loved her.

Regina put a kiss to Emma’s chest and felt the kindest heart she’d ever known against her lips. It beat for her and she would treasure it always. And she would appreciate Emma and her love the way Emma deserved from here on forward.

 


	15. No more hiding

After a delicious breakfast the next morning Emma showed Regina around in Boston, taking her to all the places that meant something to her. Regina shared some stories of her life after Emma had left the island with her in return while they walked around. They got some shopping done as well, mostly gifts for Henry and Nox of course before they returned to the hotel to change their casual clothes for something a little fancier for dinner. Or at least that was what Regina had assumed, but Emma took her to a little theatre instead where they watched the performance of a rather unknown play. A play Regina’s father had loved dearly.

„I can’t believe you remembered that. I only mentioned that once during your first few months on the island“, Regina shook her head in disbelief when they left the theatre.

Emma smiled proudly, „You meant the world to me. Even then. Because you didn’t judge and with you, I could just be. You didn’t push, you didn’t ask anything of me. There were no expectations. We just were. That’s why I always paid attention to what you said. It mattered to you, so it mattered to me. Granted, I didn’t know back then how important you would turn out to be for me, but I’m glad I never forgot.“

 

* * *

 

They had dinner at a lovely Italian restaurant afterwards and once they returned to their hotel the mood was light and Regina felt so incredibly loved that she thought she might explode any second.

Emma told her she would take a quick shower before bed and disappeared in the bathroom only a moment later, leaving Regina to her thoughts.

Emma really was something else.  
She wasn’t sure what she had done to deserve Emma and her love, but it was apparent that she had it and that it wouldn’t change anytime soon. Even Regina had understood that by now in spite of all her fears.  
Emma was here to stay and she couldn’t describe how much that meant to her.  
Never in her life would she have thought they really would have a future together.  
She hadn’t even dared to dream of it once upon a time.

When she heard the water in the shower being turned on Regina took a deep breath and made the decision she knew was long overdue in a split second.  
She stripped herself bare and headed into the bathroom on shaky legs and joined a confused, but smiling Emma in the shower.

The question if she needed anything was answered with a long and passionate kiss.  
And then there were no more words spoken that night.

Emma had shown her how much she meant to her on countless occasions and it was time that Regina showed her as well.

 

* * *

 

Regina woke up with a smile on her face.  
Their limbs were still tangled together and Emma was running her fingertips over her bare back.

She felt so content, so in love and Regina revelled in it. Now that she had finally found the courage to embrace her happiness fully she wasn’t sure why she had hesitated for so long. Why she had doubted so much.

Making love to Emma and having Emma make love to her had left her speechless. It had also awoken a desire within her that she hadn’t experienced ever before. It had left her craving Emma’s presence more than ever and she had a feeling that she couldn’t be close enough to her.

Regina was well aware that things wouldn’t be quite as easy once they would return to the island in the evening, but she was determined to live her life now, no matter what. She was done being scared because she loved Emma.

And Emma loved her.

Surely there would be people who wouldn’t understand, who wouldn’t approve, but that could happen either way, no matter whom she would date, couldn’t it?

„What are you thinking about?“, Emma mumbled and put a kiss on her forehead.

Regina paused. Should she really voice what was going through her mind? All of a sudden she couldn’t get things in motion fast enough and she had a hard time catching up. Then again she had always known that things would probably fall into place if only she could get over those fears that she carried. Well, she had known after Mary Margaret had given her an earful. After Emma had been shot.

„Are you still looking for an apartment?“, she asked at last and felt Emma nod.

„Yeah. I mean I don’t want to live with my parents forever. And also...I want to build a future with you. I guess it’s safe to say you wouldn’t feel too comfortable staying over? And where would we put Henry because we both know my room is not that big“, Emma stated the obvious facts.

„Mhm“, Regina snuggled even closer to Emma, „You could move in with us. With Henry and I. If you wanted to.“

Emma’s mouth fell open in surprise and her eyes went wide, „Are you…you are joking, right? People would know. There would be no more hiding.“

Regina shrugged, „So?“

„What happened and what did you do to Regina Mills?“, Emma joked, but she grew serious again a moment later, „Regina? What is this about?“

She propped herself up on her elbow so she could look Emma in the eye, „I am serious, Emma. It just dawned on me how close I’ve come to lose you. Not just once. I love you. And sooner or later people are going to find out anyway. The house is so big and it’s so awfully empty when you aren’t there and I know it might seem sudden, but you said you are certain this…us…is it for you. I’ve tried to deny it for so long, but I do feel the same. And I want you by my side. I’ve spent years missing you and I don’t want to miss you any longer. I’m sorry it took me so long to realise that. And even longer to find the courage to say it.“

The smile that appeared on Emma’s face was almost blinding, „There’s no need to apologise. You needed time and that’s okay. If you need more time that would be fine too.“

Regina ran her fingertips over Emma’s face and smiled as well, „I don’t need more time. I want to be with you and I want to have you by my side. You made me brave enough to admit that. But if you think that we are moving too fast now I understand.“

Emma shook her head, „I’d love to move in with you and Henry. Every night that I’m away from you feels like torture anyway. So the answer is yes.“

For a moment Regina thought about asking again, to make sure that Emma didn't have any doubts, but then she saw the answer in sparkling green eyes clearer than words could ever be.

They would do this. They would build a future together.

 

* * *

 

Ruby just smiled at them when she caught sight of Emma and Regina walking down the street holding hands. It warmed her heart to know that their love had overcome all these obstacles and many years of separation. She was fascinated by how in tune Emma and Regina were and how strong the bond was that bound them together.

On the drive back to the ferry Ruby tried to interrogate Emma about Dorothy, but to no avail. All Emma said was that she had to come and see for herself and Ruby had grit her teeth in frustration, much to Regina’s amusement.

She was surprised that Ruby gave her a heartfelt hug when they said their goodbyes and Regina told her that she really should come to visit more often because David and Mary Margaret missed her dearly. Ruby only nodded before she pulled Emma into a bone-crushing hug which was eagerly returned by the blonde and Regina found herself hoping that Ruby would return to the island one of these days because the people she had considered family all her life weren’t whole without Ruby.

 

* * *

 

The ride on the ferry went by without a hitch and Regina could barely hide her excitement at the prospect of seeing her son.  
It was a beautiful evening so they decided to walk to the loft instead of calling David to pick them up.

Emma was about to reach out her hand to grab Regina’s, but pulled back the very last second, apparently unsure how to proceed now that they were back home.

Regina noticed though and she took a deep breath before she intertwined their fingers. She was nervous, but she wouldn’t let that stop her again. Emma and she were together and Regina wanted the world to know that.

They had only walked a short distance when she caught the first people staring. Some were already whispering and she knew by tomorrow the whole island would probably talk. She held her head high and walked on anyway because with Emma by her side she would be alright. She decided to have faith that things would work out for them.

Her faith was short lived though when they arrived at the loft and Mary Margaret ushered Emma inside while David blocked the door before Regina could enter as well.

Mary Margaret had been her best friend all her life and while she was friends with David too he had always been closest with Daniel.

„David, I…“, she started, but he lifted his hand and gestured for her to be silent.

„Mary Margaret informed me of your relationship with our daughter“, he began and watched Regina visibly flinch. It dawned on him that his wife had been right when she had told him that Regina had thought they’d never approve and would hate her if the truth would ever come out and that he had gone about this all wrong.

He gave Regina what Mary Margaret called his „charming“ smile.

„Regina, we both know I’m nowhere near as intimidating as you are so I won’t try to give you the „If you hurt my daughter“ speech. I trust that you’ll do your best to make you happy“, he squeezed her shoulder encouragingly, „It’s not all that surprising that you two are together, to be honest. I mean I didn’t see it coming, but once Mary Margaret pointed it out it was like the missing piece of the puzzle had finally been put in its place.“

Regina looked at him in confusion, „So you aren’t mad?“

David laughed, „Now why would I be mad? I’ve never seen Emma happier. She is literally radiant. And if I’m really honest so are you. I’m happy for you, Regina. It might be a bit awkward in the beginning, sure, but we’ve dealt with so much worse.“

And then he pulled her into a hug, „For what it’s worth. Daniel is an asshole and I haven’t talked to him since he left the island. I mean marriages fall apart, but there was no reason for him to cheat or treat you like he did. And God knows Henry deserves better.“

„Thank you“, Regina whispered because she was afraid if she would speak any louder her voice would break.

David stepped back and allowed Regina to enter the apartment at last. He watched her step over the threshold and he quickly grabbed her hand to stop her from moving further all of a sudden. Regina eyed him worriedly, but he only smiled, „We should have probably said that a long time ago, Mary Margaret and I. But better late than never, right? Welcome to the family, Regina.“

 

* * *

 

Mary Margaret insisted that they have dinner together and against everyone’s expectations it wasn’t as awkward as they had feared it would be. Regina was a little tense in the beginning, but she loosened up after the announcement that Emma would move in with her and Henry was out of the way and there were no objections from David or Mary Margaret. If anything they seemed to be happy for them and Henry was so excited that he danced through the living room for half an hour, Nox hot on his heels.

David offered to help Emma bring over her things the next weekend so she would have enough time to pack everything up.

Since it was a morning shift week for Emma she grabbed some spare clothes and stuffed them in her duffel bag before she left with Regina, Henry and Nox while her parents watched them from the living room window.

They might not be the most conventional couple, but they sure as hell were a family.

 


	16. A new chapter

_Two years later_

Emma was a nervous wreck.  
Regina was due to arrive soonish and she felt like her heart would beat out of her chest.

Two weeks ago she had accompanied David on a trip to the mainland to buy supplies for the shelter. At least that had been the official version. In truth she had gone to buy a ring.  
The ring.

And today she would ask the question of all questions. Once Regina would be here.  
Which could be any minute now.

She was sitting on ‚their‘ bench at the docks, watching the stars and the slowly rising sun and reflecting the last two years.

When the news about their relationship had first hit not everyone had been rooting for them. Regina had received more than one nasty comment if she couldn’t find someone her own age and how it was wrong to raise her son living in sin with another woman.

To Emma people had been nicer because as the island’s hero she was pretty much untouchable.

It had taken a speech from Mary Margaret at the diner for people to realise that their relationship was at least serious and not some fling, not something to laugh about.

Emma had wanted to interfere, but Regina had declined her help on more than one occasion and she had always brushed it off. If Emma hadn’t caught her silently crying more often than she cared to remember she would have believed Regina because the mask she had worn to the world outside had been flawless.

But then a nasty storm had hit the island and there had been a lot of flooding and damage and people had demanded help, which Regina had worked tirelessly to provide. She had spent many a night at the town hall, looking for ways to come up with the needed budget and Emma had finally had enough when said people had still shot nasty comments towards their mayor.

Emma had told people off that evening at the meeting at the town hall.

Everybody had been there to discuss how they would fix and deal with the damage and Emma had outright told everyone that they should think about how they treated their mayor before they had the nerve to demand more help because Regina had done nothing, but be supportive throughout her years as the island’s mayor and while they wouldn’t have to be their friends they should at least accept that their love was their private matter and theirs alone.

And that she was disappointed that they would cause Regina so much grief when she hadn’t done anything to anyone. She had simply fallen in love. They had fallen in love with one another, but they weren’t hurting anyone by being together. That Henry deserved to have his family respected like everyone else because he was hurt by the comments some parents had made towards him. That he had been hurt that some people had refused to let their kids play with him anymore.

Most of them at least had the good sense to look ashamed.

Things had calmed down afterwards and they had gotten through it together as the family they were. David and Mary Margaret had been incredibly supportive all the way and Emma was beyond grateful to them.

They had also received unexpected support from Marian Locksley and Zelena, who had both dumped Robin in the end and who were apparently seeing each other now, raising their kids together. Good for them.  
It had taken Regina a while to accept that Emma and Marian were friends, but then she had met the woman in question privately and things had been easier afterwards. Especially when Regina had become friends with Zelena.

Ruby had come to visit eventually and to no one’s surprise, she had been quite taken with Dorothy from the start. They had kept a long distance relationship going for a while until Ruby had indeed returned to Storybrooke Island recently and Emma couldn’t be happier. She had taken over Granny’s diner which had been owned by Eugenia Lucas’ best friend. Mister Gold had wanted to retire to spend more time with his wife anyway and so everything had fallen into place when Ruby had agreed to keep the diner’s spirit alive. A spirit Eugenia had helped to create back in the day as she had worked in the diner most of her life.

David and Mary Margaret had recently taken in a new foster kid - nine-year-old Greg Mendell, who had lost his father due to a hunting accident. His mother had died at birth. The boy had been labelled as troubled because he had lashed out after his father's’ death, but Emma knew that if anyone could help that kid and provide him with the love and care that he needed and deserved it would be David and Mary Margaret.

To this day she didn’t understand what they had seen in her back then, why they had chosen to take her in and even more so why they had felt the need to adopt her, to make her „theirs“. A real part of their family.

But it had made all the difference especially since she had made life really hard for Mary Margaret when she had kept pushing her away again and again, no matter how hard the woman had tried.  
They had come a long way ever since.

And of course, then there was Regina.  
The woman she loved. The woman she had always loved.

Despite some people being unsupportive of their relationship (these days it was so much better though and Regina had been re-elected in a landslide), their relationship had run smoothly for the most part.

Of course, they fought here and there, but when it really mattered they always were a united front and a force to be reckoned with, much to Henry's chagrin.

They had once agreed that they would never go to sleep while they were still mad at each other after their first big fight and they had managed to keep that promise ever since. While communication hadn’t always come easy, these days they understood each other wordlessly and Emma knew, without a doubt, that Regina was her future.

Regina and Henry.  
Henry, who called her ‚Ma‘ these days.

Recently Regina had mentioned that maybe it was time that Emma adopted Henry because Daniel had signed away his rights when they had gotten divorced anyway.  
Emma prayed she would never have to see him again because she had an everlasting desire to punch him in the face. And then she reminded herself that his loss was her „win“ because at least there would be no fight about Henry or custody battle or anything.

She fiddled with the velvet box in her hands, enveloped by the light of the rising sun when she heard footsteps in the distance.  
Regina.

Dorothy had offered to come in at the crack of dawn so she could end her nightshift earlier than usual and she had headed straight for the docks, sending a text message that said _Watch the sunrise with me?_ to Regina on the way.

Regina had called, barely awake and had told her that she had no intention of leaving her comfy bed at the break of dawn on a Sunday, but that she would be there in a few anyway.

The footsteps came closer and soon enough Emma spotted Regina out of the corner of her eye. She shoved the box back into the pocket of her red leather jacket and got up, a smile on her face.

Regina was wearing sweatpants and one of Emma’s hoodies, her face void of any makeup, but she didn’t mind. That was the version of Regina she liked best anyway.  
That was the side of her only Emma and Henry were allowed to see.

She pulled Regina into her arms and kissed her before Regina could start on a tirade about why she had to get up this early on a weekend

„Thanks for coming“, Emma stated, smiled and gestured for Regina to take a seat on 'their' bench before she did the same.

For a few minutes, neither of them said anything and they just watched the mesmerising process of the sun rising further on the horizon, bathing everything in shades of purple, pink and orange while the sound of the waves washed over them together with a light, warm breeze.  
They just enjoyed each other’s presence like they had done so many times before and Emma could tell that Regina felt as content as she did.

It took her a moment to work up the courage, but then Emma got up, took Regina’s hands and got down on one knee and she caught sight of the tears welling in Regina’s eyes immediately.

„Regina. About ten years ago I realised I was in love with you and that love, despite all the challenges we had to face, has only grown stronger ever since. All I ever wanted was to be with you and actually having that is even better than I could have ever imagined. You are my home, Regina. My love and my anchor. My family. You and Henry. And I know you had your doubts, but I hope by now you’ve realised that I mean it when I say that you are The One for me. I can’t imagine my life without you. I want to be with you for the rest of my life if you’ll have me. So I'm asking you. Will you, Regina Mills, do me the honour of becoming my wife?“

She pulled the box out of her pocket and pulled it open to show Regina the ring she had chosen. It was a classic solitaire ring with a diamond that sparkled beautifully in the early morning light.

Tears were streaming down Regina’s face, but she managed to rasp out a heartfelt ‚Yes‘, causing a huge smile to appear on Emma's face.  
She pulled the ring from the box and slid it onto Regina’s ring finger carefully before she kissed the palm of Regina’s hand, „I love you.“

Regina got up and pulled Emma to her feet and into a tight hug while she smiled through her tears, „I love you too, Emma. More than you’ll ever know.“  
And then she kissed Emma with everything she had because it was the only way to express her feelings at that moment.

Once they broke apart realisation dawned on Regina, „Is that why Henry insisted on sleeping over at your parents last night?“

Emma grinned mischievously, „You got me. Well, more like us. Yeah, the kid thought you wouldn’t leave the house if he would be there by himself.“

Regina chuckled, „He isn’t wrong. So he knows about this?“

„Of course. I had to ask for his permission after all“, Emma stated proudly.

A look of disbelief appeared on Regina’s face, „You didn’t. Did you? What did he say?“

Emma laughed at the memory, „He said and I quote…’Took you long enough, ma. The answer is yes, but you better not hurt my mom. And if you do you don’t get to run away like dad. You’ve got to stay and fix it. Understand?’“

Regina smiled fondly at that. Henry was such a good boy. He was nothing like Daniel and she was so grateful for that. He was a sensitive boy with a heart of gold and so much compassion that it took her breath away.

„I’m really proud of him for always looking out for you“, Emma stated, „He sure is too smart for his own good here and there, but he truly is the most amazing kid I’ve ever met. Not that I’m surprised considering that he is your son.“

„He’s our son“, Regina corrected, causing Emma to smile even wider.

They kept standing at the docks for a while wrapped in each others arms, revelling in the silence while night turned to day, before Emma intertwined their fingers and they started their walk home where a new chapter of their life would start once the rest of their family woke up.

 


	17. Epilog

Emma was standing at the beach in her sheriff uniform, aviator glasses shielding her eyes from the sun.  
Nox, meanwhile almost seven, was sitting by her side, watching the tourists excitedly.

She had come to talk to Eric, one of the lifeguards, about some precautions because there was a storm warning for the evening, when a brunette in her early twenties had appeared in front of her, asking for „directions“.

Emma was amused by the poor attempt at a conversation because there was no way you could get lost on the island.

„Why don’t you join me for a drink at that bar you mentioned. The Rabbit Hole was it?“, the brunette, Mandy, suggested and Emma laughed.

„I’m flattered, really, but not interested. I’m married.“

Mandy wasn’t one to give up that easily though it seemed and she took a step closer, her hand holding on to Emma’s arm, „The husband doesn’t have to know.“

Emma laughed even louder, „I would know. And while you are pretty, you have nothing on my wife.“

 

* * *

 

Regina had called at the sheriff’s station, where August had told her that Emma had gone to the beach to talk to Eric. She had decided to finish early and spend the afternoon with Henry, but she wanted to check in on Emma first.

When she arrived at the beach she saw Emma talk to some brunette and she sighed.  
Another one of these beach barbies tried to flirt with her wife.

These days she wasn’t worried anymore because she loved and she trusted Emma. And she knew, without a doubt, that Emma would never do this to her, but it didn’t stop the pang of jealousy she felt.  
She might be a tad possessive and nowhere near willing to share, but Emma was the sheriff and she had to interact with people on a daily basis.  
If only these people wouldn’t constantly throw themselves at Emma.

She cursed herself for not taking off her heels before she set foot in the sand as she marched forward when she heard Emma’s words.

_„And while you are pretty, you have nothing on my wife.“_

Regina felt her heart flutter and a smile appeared on her face. She was still as madly in love with Emma as she had been back in the day. Maybe even more so. And for Emma it was no different.

„Hello darling“, she announced her presence once she was close enough to Emma and that unrelenting brunette.

Emma turned around, Mandy instantly forgotten, and pulled Regina into her arms when she realised that her wife was wearing heels on the beach again, „Honey, how many times have I told you that wearing those killer things on the beach isn’t safe.“

Before Regina could have protested Emma swooped her up in her arms and then she leaned in to kiss her hello.

A single kiss had started it all back in the day.  
And to this day all it took was a single kiss for them to make each other feel better on dark days. A single kiss to reassure one another in moments of doubt. A single kiss to make each other feel that they loved one another.

They were everything to each other. Each other’s home, safe haven and future.  
And their bond truly was unbreakable.  
It had been sealed by a single kiss once upon a time and it would last forever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Writers and artists spent months creating the fics and art you enjoy - it would mean the world to them if you commented to tell them what you liked! The SQSupernova team is also sponsoring a contest for commenters, and you can find out more [here](http://sqsupernova.tumblr.com/post/177527168129/the-swan-queen-supernova-comments-contest-returns).

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[Art] A single kiss](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15752130) by [Sarconistia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarconistia/pseuds/Sarconistia)




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